Energy Conservation Measures for Municipal Wastewater Treatment – Innovative Technologies and Practices

Energy consumption for municipal wastewater treatment accounts for 15% to 30% of the operating cost at large treatment facilities and 30% to 40% at small facilities (WEF, 2009). Energy costs are expected to continue escalating as a result of the rising price of fossil fuels used for energy production while the energy demand for wastewater treatment is expected to grow as the use of energy intensive treatment processes increases to meet water quality objectives that may demand increasingly stringent wastewater discharge limits.The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is committed to promoting energy efficiency and implementation/use of energy conservation measures at municipal wastewater treatment facilities. EPA, in partnership with The Cadmus Group and HDR, has undertaken a project to identify and evaluate innovative energy conservation methods implemented at wastewater utilities in the U.S. and report on their effectiveness in achieving reductions in energy use and cost associated with wastewater treatment.