9. The Water-Energy Nexus
• What is the “Water-Energy Nexus”?
• Energy needed to extract, convey, treat, deliver, and heat
potable water.
• “Embedded energy”
• Currently, water-related energy use in California consumes
approximately 20 of the state’s electricity.
10. The Water(-Energy) Cycle
Climate Change, Drought, and the Water-Energy Nexus
• Prolonged/More Intense Drought Conditions
• Reduced water supply
• Irregularity becoming more regular
• Unreliable
• Water-Energy Cycle
• Additional potential water supplies are energy intense
• More GHGs resulting from increased energy usage
• Increased GHGs exacerbate climate change
11. Breaking the Water-Energy Cycle in San Diego
More Greenhouse Gases
High Energy Water Sources
More Frequent, More Intense
Drought Conditions
“Demand” for Additional Water
12. California’s Water & Energy Conservation
Mandates
• Greenhouse gases
• AB32: Cut CA greenhouse gas emissions to 1990
levels by 2025, and then cut to 80% below 1990
levels by 2050.
•Water
• 20% reduction in water use by the year 2020.
13. California’s Strategy to Meet Goals
• “A conservation-first policy for water-sector investment and action
would help to sustain declining per-capita usage. This policy would
be similar to the State’s “loading order” policy for energy, which
prioritizes investments in energy efficiency ahead of developing new
power supplies.” (CA Climate Change Scoping Plan)
• Loading orders prioritize efficiency, lessened demand, and
renewables/recyclables, over new energy-intense sources.
14. San Diego’s Water Loading Order
• Conservation - REDUCE
• 60-70% used outside homes
• Adopt localized landscapes
• Aggressive Conservation Measures
• Capture and Use - REUSE
• Rain barrels, cisterns, catchment areas, green infrastructure
• Distributed technologies
• Recycling - RECYCLE
• Large scale (Pt. Loma, Orange County)
• Small scale (grey water, etc.)
15. More Energy-Intense Loading Order Options
• Imported Water
• Unreliable
• Subject to increasing climate change impacts/drought
• Less local water security/control
• Expensive
• Water evaporative losses in conveyance
• Desalination
• Very expensive
• Environmentally harmful with current technology (GHGs, entrainment,
impingement)
16. Our Current Use
•Use per person per day – Approximately 150
gallons per day per capita in San Diego
•Up to 70% of residential water used in Southern
California is used outdoors.
17. Quick Lessons from Australia
• Australia Use – Approx 60 gallons per capita per day
• San Diego Use – Approx 150 gallons per capita per day
• Recent Pacific Institute and NRDC findings
• Residential can cut use between 40-60%.
• Businesses and industry can cut use 30-60%.
18.
19. San Diego Solutions to Breaking the Cycle
• Integrated water management solutions
• Reduce demand & capture and use stormwater through Low Impact Development
and Green Infrastructure
• Diversified and resilient supply grounded first on conservation,
capture/use, and recycling
• We can exceed 20% reductions by 2020 water use goals and meet or
exceed GHG goals of statewide laws
• Save money by delaying or eliminating need for additional expensive and
energy-intense sources
20. Conservation Strategies
• Localized landscape subsidies or mandates
• Turf prohibitions on new development and/or
redevelopment
• Irrigation Mandates – Scheduled Irrigation
• Pricing that incentivizes conservation and dis-incentivizes
water waste
• Cut leaks and losses in underground pipes through
infrastructure maintenance and upgrades
25. A Resilient Water-Energy Cycle for San Diego
Climate Change Impacts
Reduction or Stabilization of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduced Demand Response Through Conservation
Capture/Use, Recycling Sources for Remaining Needs
26. SAN DIEGO
COASTKEEPER
www.sdcoastkeeper.org
Protecting and Restoring Fishable, Swimmable, Drinkable Waters in San Diego County
