The National Association of Water Companies (NAWC) and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) recently announced that they have released a new report titled "A Survey of Energy Use in Water Companies."

The purpose of the research was to find how much water is used in conveying, treating and distributing drinking water across participating members' systems and help identify opportunities for reducing energy use.

As a result of this collaboration, the paper presents data collected on the embedded energy in water systems in order to better understand associated costs and efficiency upgrades, as well as to quantify the avoided energy and pollution savings that accrue from water efficiency programs.

"Private water companies have long recognized the interdependency of water and energy," said Michael Deane, NAWC executive director. "Through this partnership with ACEEE, we are hoping to bring more current data around embedded energy into this important discussion. With a full understanding of the energy intensity of water treatment and delivery, we can develop best practices for water utilities, and this will ultimately benefit the consumer."

One of the major lessons learned from this survey was that there are additional opportunities for greater energy efficiency, water conservation and joint program partnership. Some water providers have already embarked on that path, charting the course for other companies to follow.