Correlation of Energy Management Policies with Lower Energy Use in Public Water Systems

Abstract

One question in the increasingly frequent discussions about energy management among water utilities is whether energy management policies have any effect on their energy footprints. This study examines the question using new data from public water systems in the United States. A statistically significant difference was found, indicating that water utilities with documented energy management policies, plans, or programs use about 3% less energy, on average, than those without, even after considering other important factors such as water system size, water source type, and climate conditions. This finding suggests that voluntary, organization-specific policies should be included among other best practices for sustainably managing water utilities’ energy use.