AMWA's Green Projects Blog

San Diego County Water Authority Plans for the Future

2009-03-19T13:55:00.003-04:00

The San Diego County Water Authority’s Business Plan includes a new climate change and sustainability program. Although this may be a new program for the Water Authority, the concept of reducing the environmental impacts of our operations and responding to the impacts of climate change are not new. Sustainable “green” projects have been part of the Water Authority’s approach to doing business for some time. Below are highlights of our past and ongoing efforts:

Energy Projects

San Diego County Water Authority owns and operates the Rancho Peñasquitos in-line hydro generation facility. The power is generated using a single horizontal turbine with an annual net energy production of 20 million kWh of renewable energy. The generating unit is controlled by the Water Authority’s central control facility and operates year round. The facility began commercial operation in December 2006. The power generated is sold to San Diego Gas & Electric and delivered to the grid. The facility is not only a source of green energy for the region, but also generates more than $1 million in annual revenue for the Water Authority. The facility was awarded the American Public Works Association Project of the Year in the category of local environmental projects over $8 million.

The Water Authority’s Lake Hodges Pumped Storage Facility, currently under construction, is expected to begin commercial operation in July 2010. Through a power purchase agreement with SDG&E, the facility will provide 40MW of peak power to the grid. As the percent of electricity from renewable energy sources increases, peaker plants will become essential to grid reliability while avoiding the need to build more greenhouse gas-intensive fossil fuel power plants. The Lake Hodges Pumped Storage Facility will contribute to grid reliability and generate a combination of revenue and energy savings to the Water Authority of approximately $5.5 million annually.

In early 2007, SDG&E recognized the Water Authority’s San Vicente Pump Station for its energy-saving design. The pump station uses energy-efficient variable frequency drive (VFD) units, compared to traditional fixed-speed units, to turn its three 7,000- horsepower pumps. Through innovative design, when this facility becomes operational in mid-2009, it will save more than 1 million kWh of electricity annually, and will produce 435 fewer metric tons of CO2 equivalents annually than traditional pumps.

Fleet Operations

As part of the normal budget cycle, the Water Authority reviews fleet operations to determine the need for replacing vehicles and other equipment. However, starting in 2006 the organization began to conduct a significantly more in-depth review at the fleet. The intent of this review was to analyze the use of each vehicle. Although the Water Authority operates a small fleet, vehicles scheduled for replacement are evaluated for the use of the vehicle, driving patterns, and potential replacement with more fuel-efficient alternative fuel vehicles. The intent of this review is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, vehicle miles traveled, and operating costs. Using this approach during the last budget period, the Water Authority both eliminated vehicles and replaced vehicles with hybrids.

To reduce emissions from on-road diesel vehicles in the fleet, three vehicles were retrofitted, seven units are scheduled for retrofit in 2009, and a total of 16 retrofits will be complete by the end of 2011. In the near future the process of retrofitting the off-road diesel equipment will begin.

Solar

SDCWA is the lead agency in a cooperative procurement with its member agencies to install solar through an energy services provider at its headquarters and water treatment plant and at participating member agency sites. The Request for Proposal, to be released in the near future, identifies 15 sites with a combined potential for 15 MW of solar power.

Water & Energy Conservation

In August 2007, SDCWA with other stakeholder agencies within the region partnered to produce a “Blueprint for Conservation,” which serves as “a road map for creating and implementing new, long-range residential and commercial conservation programs across the San Diego region.” This was a key product of the San Diego region’s first Water Conservation Summit held in 2006. Another Conservation Summit was held in 2007 and a third is scheduled for June 2, 2009.

The Water Authority, of course, has promoted conservation incentives or rebates on water-saving devices and other kinds of assistance programs for residential and business water users since the early 1990s. The embedded annual water savings from these programs (including ones promoting low-flow showerheads, fixtures and toilets, water-efficient clothes washers, irrigation equipment and more) have grown to save more than 55,000 acre-feet of water annually.

The Water Authority, as a result of growing water supply challenges, also has more aggressively promoted voluntary water conservation to the general public since July 2007 through its “20-Gallon Challenge” campaign. The goal of the campaign is to reduce the region’s per capita urban water demand by 20 gallons per person, per day. It was supported by a $1.8 million advertising campaign in 2008, the largest such single-year conservation awareness campaign in the agency’s history. Through the advertising campaign and other outreach efforts, the Water Authority achieved 31,000 acre-feet of extraordinary water conservation in 2008. This brought regional urban water use to a five-year low and saved approximately 83.7 million kWh of energy.

Beginning in January 2008 and continuing for 18 months, the Water Authority and San Diego Gas & Electric partnered to participate in a California Energy Commission-approved pilot program to undertake specific water conservation efforts that will more accurately measure the relationship between water savings and the reduction of energy use. It is anticipated the results of this pilot program will inform decisions related to the incorporation of water conservation efforts in future energy efficiency programs.

Climate Change Research

SDCWA is participating in a Water Research Foundation (formerly AwwaRf)-funded research project to evaluate the effects of climate change on planning criteria and design standards. The total project estimate is $300,000. The project involves four west coast water agencies.

In February 2008 the Water Authority’s General Manager, in conjunction with the general managers of seven of the nation’s large water utilities, announced the formation of the Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA). The alliance has been working to improve research into the impacts of climate change on water utilities, develop strategies for adapting to climate change, and implement tactics to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Recently WUCA awarded a contract to Malcolm Pirnie to prepare a white paper on decision support tools and how they might be used by utilities to study and evaluate climate change science and incorporate this information into decision making. WUCA is also pursuing the award of additional contracts to advance the knowledge of its members and the water industry in adapting to climate change. In addition WUCA is coordinating with AMWA to communicate the needs of the water industry for improved scientific research and the development of adaptation strategies.

Contra Costa Water District Works to Reduce its Impact on the Environment

2009-01-23T11:12:00.001-05:00

California's Contra Costa Water District has undertaken an number of initiatives aimed at reducing the environmental impacts of its operations and addressing global climate change. These efforts include:

Capital Improvement Planning: Strategic projects such as the Alternative Intake Project, are being designed to accommodate climate variability. As an example, the pump station and pipeline on Victoria Island are being designed and constructed to withstand flooding at a level that takes into account sea level rise. CCWD’s 10-year Capital Improvement Program, which is adopted annually by the Board includes projects that improve energy efficiency, develop alternate energy sources, conserve water, and are adaptable to changing climatic conditions.

Relying Less on Fossil Fuels: CCWD is working to reduce fossil fuel consumption by 5 percent a year for the next three years. To do this, standard-engine fleet vehicles are being replaced with gas-electric hybrids where feasible, alternative fuels are being considered and driving routines are being adjusted to improve overall mileage.

Constructing Solar and Hydro Generating Facilities: At the Ygnacio Pump Station, 250 solar photovoltaic panels were installed to generate enough energy to offset 30 percent of the electricity used annually by the pump station. The 40-kilowatt facility was completed in August 2008. The District's next clean energy project will use the power of water rushing through the Los Vaqueros pipeline in eastern Contra Costa County to generate approximately 1 megawatt of electricity for use at CCWD pump stations.

Facilitating Sustainable Windpower: CCWD supports the generation of clean windpower. The 20,000-acre Los Vaqueros Watershed is home to hundreds of wind turbines that cleanly produce approximately 60 megawatts of renewable wind energy to help meet California's increasing demand for electricity.

Saving Water Saves Energy: By encouraging people to save water, CCWD ultimately reduces the amount of electricity used to pump, store, treat and distribute water. In California, water-related energy use is the single largest use of electricity, much of which is produced by thermal power plants that emit greenhouse gases. CCWD deliveries less water today than in 1985, despite nearly a twofold increase in the population served. In addition to an aggressive conservation program, approximately 8,000 acre-feet of recycled water is delivered within CCWD each year.

Climate Change Research: CCWD is leading an AwwaRF research project to evaluate the effects of climate change on planning criteria and design standards. The total project cost estimate is $300,000 and the project involves four west coast water agencies. The District took the lead in preparing a $100,000 tailored collaboration proposal to AwwaRF to develop a greenhouse gas emissions guidance document for water agencies.

Hillsboro Uses Green Power to Achieve Many Goals

2009-01-15T15:03:00.001-05:00

Solar power in the Pacific Northwest? Isn’t that the region known for months and months of non-stop rain? The answer to both questions is yes. While Oregon gets its fair share of “liquid sunshine” there definitely is still enough of the real thing to make for vibrant solar energy projects. In fact, the City of Hillsboro, Oregon, has brought three of its community goals together through a solar energy project located at one of its water reservoirs.

Constructed in 2008, the City installed 570 solar panels at its Evergreen Reservoir and in their short operation the panels have already generated 53 MWh of power. The project was made possible with the assistance of the Oregon Energy Trust and a new state program called the Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC) that incents renewable energy projects. The BETC allowed the City to negotiate with Honeywell International Inc., for construction and operation of the project through a transferred credit of $225,000. From there, the City was able to enter into a long term power agreement which will save city ratepayers over time.

It’s always been a goal of the City to be responsible with ratepayer funds and this project will clearly provide an energy cost savings. The agreement between the City and Honeywell sets an initial power rate with a capped escalation of 3% per year over the next 20 years. Current solar power costs are relatively the same under the agreement as they would have been. However, looking at conservative estimates of projected energy costs, ratepayers will be saving within 5 years. Over the term of the agreement, total savings of approximately 14% are projected. The Water Department is using this project as a pilot; construction of two new 15-million gallon reservoirs and a 50 mgd treatment plant expansion is planned in the next 10 years, and the department is planning to incorporate solar installations in the design phases for those projects.

A second goal of the City is to be a prudent environmental steward. This project certainly fits that bill through the creation of green power; it eliminates an estimated 64 metric tons of CO2 emissions a year and reduces the need for expansion of conventional power plants.

Hillsboro also strives to aggressively support its local businesses. One way to meet this goal is to purchase locally manufactured goods. It happens that Hillsboro is rapidly becoming a center for the solar energy manufacturing industry. To support this new industry, the City required the panels used in this project be purchased from newly-arrived solar manufacturer SolarWorld.

“This is truly one of those win, win, win type of projects. It’s good for the environment, saves our customers money, and supports our local businesses. We will definitely be evaluating more of these projects in the future,” said Hillsboro Water Director, Kevin Hanway.

Check out the project’s energy production and environmental offsets through a link on the Department’s website, at http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/Water/Solar.aspx. For more information about this innovative project contact Tacy Steele, Water Programs Coordinator: tacys@ci.hillsboro.or.us.

Welcome to AMWA's New Green Projects Blog

2009-01-15T12:09:00.003-05:00

It’s a new year and “going green” is hotter than ever. At AMWA’s climate change committee meeting in New Orleans, we talked about launching a “green blog” to share with each other and showcase with the public the initiatives of AMWA members to become more sustainable: by reducing greenhouse gases, using alternative energy sources and constructing green infrastructure. This is AMWA’s first blog and its contents will be another example of how our member agencies are leaders in water.

The Green Projects Blog will rely on you, AMWA's member utilities, to submit the latest examples of your sustainable green projects and activities. Sharing these stories will highlight your successes, serve as examples that will help other water systems implement their own sustainability efforts, and keep the blog current with the latest green thinking at drinking water utilities.

AMWA’s members are leaders in water. So go ahead, brag a little. Let us know how you’re leading in this area. Email your utility's story to greenprojectsblog@amwa.net.

Mark Premo
Chairman
AMWA Climate Change Committee

General Manager
Anchorage Water & Wastewater Utility