California’s Water-Energy Connection
Most people don’t realize the considerable amount of energy it takes to deliver, treat and heat the water they use. In fact, American public water supply and treatment facilities consume about 56 billion kilowatt-hours per year—enough electricity to power more than five million homes for an entire year. In California, water-related energy use accounts for 19 percent of the state’s electricy consumption, 30 percent of natural gas consumption and the use of 88 billion gallons of diesel fuel each year!
Viewer Tip: Saving water at home not only helps reduce energy use, it also conserves California’s vital water resources. Give these easy tips a try:
- Shave a few minutes of your shower. Two-thirds of all water heating costs can be attributed to showers.
- Turn off the tap. Letting a faucet run for five minutes uses the same amount of electricity as running a 60-watt light bulb for 14 hours!
- Only run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads. Try using cold water for washing clothes—there are specially formulated cold-water detergents available.
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
(Sources: CoolCalifornia.org, Government-University-NGO Partnership. “Cool Tips in the Home.” http://www.coolcalifornia.org/article/individuals-in-the-home; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense Program. www.epa.gov/watersense)
