Projected Effects of Climate Change on the Energy Footprints of U.S. Drinking Water Utilities

Abstract

Drinking water systems’ energy footprints depend mostly on the source, quality, and volume of water supply, but also on local temperature and precipitation, both of which are changing with the global climate. From a previous survey, we develop an equation for modeling relative changes in U.S. water utilities’ annual energy use, in which their energy use increases with temperature and decreases with precipitation. To demonstrate, we insert gridded projections from three scenarios in the EPA’s Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT) and compare 2035 and 2060 periods with a 1981–2010 baseline. Averaged over the continental United States, the 2060 central scenario projects 2.7 °C warmer temperatures and 2.9 cm more annual precipitation. For the same water demand, we estimate that these conditions will cause U.S. water systems’ energy use to change by −0.7% to 13.7% depending on the location (average 8.5% across all grid cells). Warming accounts for a general increase, and local changes in precipitation can add to or subtract from it. We present maps showing the spatial variability for each scenario. Water systems are essential infrastructure that support sustainable communities, and the analysis underscores their needs for energy management, renewable energy, water conservation, and climate change resilience.