Nearly four percent of the nation’s electricity is consumed by water and wastewater facilities, and industry experts are predicting that energy costs could increase 20 percent by 2035. Water and wastewater treatment costs often consume 50 percent or more of the budget of many small communities.
Historically, water and wastewater facilities were designed for peak capacity, with little consideration for operational efficiency. An energy audit performed by trained and certified personnel can often uncover potential energy savings of 10 to 50 percent annually, but even a cursory examination done by in-house staff can often result in substantial energy savings.