Water-Energy linkages
Here’s a new report from Beacon Pathway that covers the key Water Miles message: that water and wastewater supply cost energy. It quantifies this for four councils in New Zealand.
http://beaconpathway.co.nz/images/uploads/Final_Report_WA7090(2)_Energy_water_relationships.pdf
Add comment September 1, 2009
Public Lecture by Stan Abbott
Stan Abbott, director of the Roof Water Research Centre at Massey University, is giving a public lecture on ‘Roofwater Harvesting in Urban Environments – An Environmentally Sound Solution to Diminishing Water Sources’.
The lecture is at Massey in Wellington on Thursday 20 August at 6pm.
See this poster for more details.
Add comment August 17, 2009
CCP-NZ 2009 report
The latest CCP-NZ report has a wealth of information about factors influencing climate change in NZ. Click here for the report, which is on the CCP-NZ website.
The following is an extract, covering water and wastewater (I have emphasised some parts).
Water and sewage
The water supply and sewage (waste-water) pumping and treatment sector is responsible for more than 25 per cent of corporate emissions from CCP-NZ councils. This highlights this sector as one where savings should be sought. Studies and pilot programmes around the world have documented the potential for large savings of emissions through reduced water consumption and by not treating all water to drinking-water quality if not required. Significant challenges need to be addressed to implement such behavioural and infrastructure changes.
Councils report that public water conservation promotional campaigns are usually only effective for short-period supply restrictions such as summer droughts. Such campaigns do not provide reliable longer-term efficiencies that reduce the need for new water supply infrastructure (e.g. dams and treatment systems). Behavioural change needs to be supplemented by technology-supported improvements.
ICLEI Oceania facilitated Milestone 3 workshops for council staff developing local action plans. Staff identified four solutions with significant potential for energy and emission reductions for this sector:
- Optimising pumping technology and controls, such as installing variable-speed drive pumps to work alongside fixed-speed drive pumps – often results in more efficient water supply and sewage systems
- Installing water meters on customers’ supply points – demonstrated to reduce domestic water use and wastage
- Installing rainwater and greywater collection facilities for new buildings or subdivisions – attractive for councils with water supply problems, and rainwater tanks smooth the flow impacts from stormwater systems during high-rainfall events
- Analysing electricity tariffs for water and sewage pumping – significant cost savings.
CCP-NZ councils’ actions to reduce emissions from the water and sewage sector are resulting in more than 1,700 tonnes CO2-e being saved annually. Beacon Pathway studied water supply energy and emissions issues, using input from four CCP-NZ councils. Its findings will be published later in 2009.
Water and sewage
The water supply and sewage
(waste-water) pumping and
treatment sector is responsible for
more than 25 per cent of corporate
emissions from CCP-NZ councils.
This highlights this sector as one
where savings should be sought.
Studies and pilot programmes
around the world have documented
the potential for large savings of
emissions through reduced water
consumption and by not treating all
water to drinking-water quality if
not required. Significant challenges
need to be addressed to implement
such behavioural and infrastructure
changes.
Councils report that public waterconservation
promotional
campaigns are usually only effective
for short-period supply restrictions
such as summer droughts. Such
campaigns do not provide reliable
longer-term efficiencies that reduce
the need for new water supply
infrastructure (e.g. dams and
treatment systems). Behavioural
change needs to be supplemented
by technology-supported
improvements.
ICLEI Oceania facilitated
Milestone 3 workshops for council
staff developing local action plans.
Staff identified four solutions with
significant potential for energy and
emission reductions for this sector.
• Optimising pumping technology
and controls, such as installing
variable-speed drive pumps to
work alongside fixed-speed drive
pumps – often results in more
efficient water supply and
sewage systems.
• Installing water meters on
customers’ supply points –
demonstrated to reduce
domestic water use and
wastage.
• Installing rainwater and
greywater collection facilities for
new buildings or subdivisions –
attractive for councils with water
supply problems, and rainwater
tanks smooth the flow impacts
from stormwater systems during
high-rainfall events.
• Analysing electricity tariffs for
water and sewage pumping –
significant cost savings.
CCP-NZ councils’ actions to reduce
emissions from the water and
sewage sector are resulting in more
than 1,700 tonnes CO2-e being
saved annually.
Beacon Pathway studied water
supply energy and emissions issues,
using input from four CCP-NZ
councils. Its findings will be
published later in 2009.
Add comment August 17, 2009
UK report on rainwater and greywater reuse
This is a largely sensible report, following on from the DEFRA report, but note that it only considered greywater use from the bathroom for toilet flushing. In NZ there is a system of similar cost that can also take washing machine water and irrigate the garden (as well).
Add comment July 1, 2009
The UK Government’s water strategy
The report by DEFRA (the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) has the following in the foreword:
The problem we face is this; because of our need to adapt to climate change, our water intensive lifestyle and other pressures such as changing land use, we need to find ways of using water much more efficiently and sustainably if we are to continue to enjoy high standards and constant supply.
The South East and East of England already face increasing demand on a finite water supply. The drought of 2004-06 was only managed through controls on what we could use water for. This was not a one-off; indeed droughts are likely to be more common. By 2080, some long term climate projections forecast half as much rainfall in summer (nothing like fully offset by 30% more rainfall in winter) in the South East.
We need to plan ahead and each of us needs to play our part. We have, of course, not only to cope with too little water. Indeed the last year has been characterised more by too much water with serious flooding in many parts of the country. Sir Michael Pitt’s report into these floods shows that we still have lessons to learn as a country about defending ourselves from, and learning to live with, floods. One particular issue is how we cope with ‘surface water’ flooding. Just as climate change seems likely to mean less water on average, it is also likely to mean more extreme weather events, with more inland and coastal flooding.
Finally, the way we pump, treat, clean and heat water has profound implications for energy use. The water industry is a major energy user, and together with domestic hot water use, there’s a carbon impact here that simply has to be tackled. Saving water reduces emissions.
1 comment July 1, 2009
Water Footprint of Bioenergy
The water footprint of bioenergy is large compared with other forms of energy, with one litre of biofuel costing between 1,400 and 20,000 litres of water, according to a journal paper.
2 comments June 30, 2009
Victoria’s Water Policy ‘shambolic’
An article in The Age newspaper says that the Australian State of Victoria is locked into a billion dollar water pipeline which can’t deliver much if any water without causing major downstream problems to the Murray river and may not be able to build its desalination plant due to the failure of Suez and Veolia to secure funding. Meanwhile rainwater, greywater and other practical recycling schemes are ‘being closed off’.
Add comment June 30, 2009
Gisborne Considers Recycling Wastewater
Summary
Currently it is estimated to cost $2 per cubic metre, compared to potable water at $0.80. The cost of recycling may decrease with new technology and the cost of producing potable water will increase with higher standards. Thus the potential to recycle water from the new wastewater treatment system in Gisborne is being investigated under a consent for ‘alternative use and disposal’.
Add comment June 26, 2009
Kapiti Coast Plan Change 75
The following is the Kapiti Coast District Council’s press release, dated 18 June 2009. For more info, see the KCDC website. I believe that the plan change is a very positive step in the right direction, despite it not making provision for greywater recycling to the home as a permitted activity (for more information see my earlier submission on the plan change posted on this site).
A single greywater system recycling water for toilet flushing and garden watering will be permitted as an alternative solution under the plan change and despite the small additional application cost it will be by far the cheapest and most efficient way to comply with the requirement of the plan for all new houses to save water. Other ways to comply include a mixture of rainwater tanks and greywater for garden irrigation only or a very large rainwater tank only. All of these methods are good ways to save water.
KCDC press release:
Tanks & greywater for new Kapiti Coast homes
Council confirms tanks and greywater plan
Kapiti Coast District Council today approved a district plan change making it compulsory for all new homes to have an alternative non-potable water supply for outdoor uses and for washing machines and toilet use.
Mayor Jenny Rowan hailed this as a major step in the long term programme to manage water use and supply in the district and said it sent a very clear signal that the Council is serious about conserving and managing the use of its potable treated (drinking) water supplies.
“As much as 40% of the water used during the summer months is for outdoor uses,” she said.
Plan Change 75 requires all new dwellings in the district to have either a 10,000 litre rain water storage tank or a combination of a smaller 4000 litre rainwater storage tank and a greywater irrigation system. There is also provision for consideration of other water solutions which provide a non-potable water source for outdoor use.
The plan change builds on an existing policy in place since 2002 where water use in newly rezoned subdivisions has been controlled through a requirement for water saving devices and restricting the supply to 1000 litres per household per day.
“This is all part of our long term programme which recognises the need to reduce demand for water arising because of new development and to develop conservation packages,” Mayor Rowan said.
“Water quality and supply is clearly the number one concern in our District.
“We’ve set aside money in our long term plan for improving supply/storage capacity, and for a comprehensive conservation package, including public education and the investigation of a range of incentives for initiatives such as the installation of water conservation systems for consideration during next year’s Annual Plan process.”
“We know rainwater storage tanks reduce outdoor water use and, combined with greywater irrigation systems which apply waste water from washing machines and bathrooms through in-ground irrigation systems, there is the potential over time to reduce use of potable water for outdoor uses considerably, and extending the life of our supply systems,” she said.
1 comment June 25, 2009
