Clean fresh water is essential for human life. Beyond its ability to quench our thirst, without water we also cannot grow the food we eat. Yet, many people do not realize that without water, we also cannot effectively produce power.
In light of this relationship, the 21st observance of UN World Water Day March 22nd seeks to raise awareness of the increasingly complex ties between energy and water. This “nexus” and the widespread challenges facing stressed water systems around the world, are driving water-related issues from the background to the headlines.
Here in the United States, we have been blessed with a reliable power infrastructure for more than a century. The reliability of our power sector was a driving factor in the rise of U.S. industrial capacity and standards of living. Less well known however is the large role that water plays in the generation of most of our electricity today; about 90% of power generation is termed “water intensive”.
Though in some ways the reliance on water for power is difficult to imagine outside of hydropower projects, the potential of water shortages to impact our electricity infrastructure goes beyond temporary plant shutdowns or reductions in generating capacity. The absence of reliable water supplies can force the closure of plants, cancellation of needed power projects, or require use of more costly technologies thus impacting local ratepayers.
In fact, water supply issues, the risks of which have been highlighted by powerful storms, extended heat waves and high-profile droughts were identified as the second leading environmental concern by the electric utility industry in the 2013 Black & Veatch Strategic Directions: Electric Utility Report.
This vulnerability is especially critical as we are more reliant on electricity than ever before. Modern conveniences such as mobile technology and Internet connectivity, once considered luxuries, have joined food, clothing and shelter as “essentials”. Given greater awareness of our role in the energy/water dynamic, consumers of electricity now must be more diligent in their conservation efforts to ensure the resiliency of our electric grid and water supplies.
As a society, we must plan and prepare better for a future where managing our limited freshwater water resources will come under increasing pressure. There must be a growing awareness at all levels of water’s relationship with other precious resources.
Fortunately, the things we do to preserve our water supplies on a day-to-day drinking basis are not that dissimilar from the steps that we must take to preserve water to meet our energy needs. Best practices developed abroad can be brought to bear here in the U.S.
Today, we are seeing major steps forward such as the replenishment of the water table in California, an effort recognized with the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize. This award is on par with the Nobel Prize in its field. Similarly, in Northwest England, owners of a used water treatment facility are upgrading and transforming it into a new type of renewable energy facility. This facility is not only net energy neutral but excess electricity generated can be sold back to the UK grid. Likewise, cities like Singapore are often proving grounds for advances in innovative technologies.
Further, advances in IT represent another great opportunity for the management of our precious water resources. Automation, data collection and analytics can drive new efficiencies in old systems. Data-driven decisions can underpin everything from maintenance schedules and pressure control to customer interaction. These tools can have major cost benefits in terms of how water utilities, or major users of water, manage their water use more efficiently and minimize their energy use. A greater understanding of a water system also helps identify areas to improve resiliency.
As we look ahead to UN World Water Day, no discussion would be complete without a reference to the sheer scale of the current drought in California. As the largest U.S. state by population and source of a staggering amount of the nation’s fresh fruits and vegetables, California garners more headlines than similarly impacted areas in the southwest and Texas. But, this drought also shows where investments in storage technology, consumer and industrial water re-use programs and conservation efforts do pay off. With snow packs at historically low levels, portions of the state that invested in resiliency measures are minimizing the impact on millions of residents.
UN World Water Day is a great opportunity to reflect on your water and energy usage and acknowledge progress made and opportunities ahead. And when you’re done reading this, please don’t forget to turn out the lights!
Ralph Eberts is Executive Vice President of Black & Veatch based in San Francisco.
