An average home uses between 80 to 100 gallons of water a day.
credit:
Aaron Kunz
Water related energy use accounts for 13% of the nation's electricity consumption.
credit:
Aaron Kunz
Private water utilities like United Water Idaho in Boise try and convince customers to conserve energy.
credit:
Aaron Kunz
There are a multitude of devices that homeowners can buy to conserve water.
credit:
Aaron Kunz
BOISE, Idaho — A Northwest environmental group has a new twist on water conservation: it’s a way to save energy and shrink your carbon footprint.
Idaho Rivers United monitored 15 water providers in western Idaho to see how much energy they used. It’s the first research of its kind in the country — and it’s attracting attention.
“The magnitude of water-related energy use in the U.S. is considerable: Water-related energy use accounts for 13 percent of the nation’s electricity consumption.”
—from “Treasure Valley Energy Outlook: Why Domestic Water Use Matters”
Liz Paul of Idaho Rivers United says people may think about water when they run their shower or flush their toilet. But not the energy implications. Paul hopes the information gives the public a new way of thinking about the water they use.
Paul says domestic homes in Western Idaho alone consumed 1 billion kilowatt hours of energy through water use. That could power more than 79,000 homes for a year.
Mark Snider is with the Boise-based water company, United Water of Idaho. He says saving energy through water conservation is good for customers, his company, and their combined energy footprint.
“Not only do customers see the benefits of conservation reflected in their water bill,” Snider says, “but it reduces the amount of energy that the utility is required to produce and move this water throughout the system.”
Heating water for household use is by far the most energy-intensive step in the domestic water use cycle. The greatest energy savings come from reducing hot water use.
—from “Treasure Valley Energy Outlook: Why Domestic Water Use Matters”
John DeVoe with WaterWatch in Oregon says the research offers a fresh approach to water conservation. Some water treatment facilities in Oregon are already doing something about their energy use. They’ve recently installed solar panels to power their plants.
Idaho Rivers United suggest a few ways homeowners can save on both water and energy consumption. Among them: Take shorter hot-water showers. Install water-efficient appliances and toilets. Insulate hot water pipes.
Read the entire report, Treasure Valley Energy Outlook: Why Domestic Water Use Matters.
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