Industrial Case Studies and Projects

Water and Wastewater Research Training and Demonstration Project

Objectives | Work Yet to be Completed | Contact

Background and Significance:
Water and wastewater treatment are highly energy intensive processes. Inefficient use of energy adds to the high cost of water production and wastewater treatment for Iowa's facilities. However, there is great potential for increasing the energy efficiency of processes, equipment and overall design of water and wastewater treatment plants. Research has shown energy and dollar savings are possible through upgrades or redesign of energy-consuming processes and equipment, including: physical, chemical and biological treatment processes; pumping; facility energy use; transmission and distribution; and load management. Power production alternatives such as cogeneration or outfall hydropower and community water efficiency measures also exist.

Decision-makers in water and wastewater facilities often lack information on why and how to make energy efficiency improvements and lack the financial resources to make facility upgrades. Adding to the difficulty is a complicated set of water and wastewater treatment rules and regulations..

Project Objectives:
This project attempts to address the technological potential and information gap in Iowa’s water and wastewater treatment arena. First, the energy efficiency and demand side management impacts of adopting new technologies in water and wastewater treatment facilities are being assessed. A report has been prepared that covers potential technologies for reducing energy use and energy costs in water and wastewater facilities and includes case studies and economic assessments where available.

Second, the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities has examined the use of treatment wetlands as examples of energy efficient wastewater treatment technology, and has completed a technical assessment of the design, management, cost and treatment efficiency of the 18 existing constructed wetlands used for wastewater treatment in Iowa. This assessment also considered the use of constructed wetlands in Iowa versus surrounding states. The final report is available from IAMU.

Third, to establish annual operation and maintenance costs and energy consumption for water and wastewater treatment technologies in Iowa, IAMU has collected data from more than 450 utilities and is completing a report that lists these data (averages, ranges and statistical comparisons), for a wide range of sizes and types of treatment. This report will be available from IAMU.

Work Yet to Be Completed:
The following tasks remain to be completed during the third phase of the grant period:

• Finalize technical consultation on Altoona demonstration
  
• Define monitoring criteria for demonstrations
  
• Begin to prepare case studies
  

During the third and fourth phases of the project, the following tasks will be carried out:

• Monitor demonstration facilities for energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness
  
• Compile demonstration data
  
• Prepare case studies and demonstration reports
  
• Update Web site with demonstration results

Contact Information:

Anne Kimber
Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities
www.iamu.org
e-mail: akimber@iamu.org
515 289-1999
FAX 515 289-2499

IAMU has the materials developed as a result of this research posted on their web site. Iowa case studies, program information, a technology assessment, and links to important water-energy sites can be accessed by clicking here.

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