The SCWC Water-Energy Efficiency Task Force has published its new white paper on the connection between water and energy conservation. This publication aims to identify and tackle the barriers between collaborative joint resource efficiency programs that will lead to innovative solutions related to saving natural resources.
The Task Force charged into the challenge of teaming water and energy utilities to ease the significant amount of energy that goes into obtaining, treating, and distributing water. In this new white paper and publication, “Rewiring Water Conservation for Energy: How Southern California Utilities Make it Work,” links are made between water and energy utilities to explore the reduction of resource consumption. In addition to detailing how the reduction of water use is related to energy savings, the paper discusses the issues restricting easy collaborative efforts between energy and water utilities. 
The publication sheds a light on the four most prominent barriers that case studies have revealed:
- Legal Matters
- Finding Common Customers
- Getting Word Out
- Program Operations/Management
By highlighting these barriers, the Task Force uncovers innovative solutions that will provide utility agencies with informed steps towards collaboration. Along with gaining an understanding of the barriers, the authors also identified paths to overcome them and allow for future action. The Task Force’s insights into solutions include:
- Evaluating endeavors to simplify collaborations between multiple resource programs to provide the most efficient development across state agencies
- Supporting research efforts to design efficiency programs for resource agencies as well as creating a standard system to determine the amount of energy that goes into water production
- Promoting the protection of PII data and the creation of a collaborative data sharing platform
- Developing a simplified, efficient strategy for public-private resource legal contracting
It’s certainly no coincidence that this white paper was released on Earth Day! Plan on setting aside time to read this report that maps out the future of resource conservation.
Download a PDF of “Rewiring Water Conservation for Energy: How Southern California Utilities Make It Work.”
The Southern California Water Coalition extends its deepest gratitude to the following agencies for volunteering to collect, consolidate, and submit the case studies that made this white paper possible:
• Burbank Water and Power
• Irvine Ranch Water District
• Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
• Moulton Niguel Water District
• San Diego County Water Authority
• San Diego Gas and Electric
• Southern California Edison
• Southern California Gas
Southern California Water Coalition thanks the members of the Water-Energy Efficiency Task Force in general and the following individuals specifically for their efforts in producing this document:
- Drew Atwater, Moulton Niguel Water District
- Rhonda Himley, Moulton Niguel Water District
- Elaina Hurst, Moulton Niguel Water District
- William McDonnell, Inland Empire Utilities Agency