Carbon Footprint of Water Consumption in Urban Environments: Mitigation Strategies

Abstract

Energy demand for water consumption continues to increase globally due to population growth and expanding water infrastructure in urban areas. Energy consumption attributed to water services in urban areas constitutes a significant portion of total energy resources around the world. Since energy is mostly extracted from fossil fuels, urban water infrastructure can be a major contributor to global CO2 emissions. Worldwide, a significant need exists to develop mitigation strategies for reducing the carbon footprint of water consumption, thereby mitigating climate change. This chapter provides an overview of the nexus between water and energy in urban areas and estimates energy consumption in urban water infrastructure and the associated carbon footprint of water consumption. Specific mitigation strategies for reducing the carbon footprint of water consumption discussed in this chapter include water conservation measures, energy-use efficiency in municipal water utilities, and the potential for decentralized water infrastructure in reducing energy consumption. Finally, the chapter discusses the potential for integrating renewable energy resources into urban water infrastructure in order to reduce dependence on fossil fuel-based energy and, thus, reduce the carbon footprint of water consumption.