Distribution
3. Fix Leaking Drinking
Water Pipes
Water treatment processes use large quantities of
energy to treat and distribute water to customers.
Energy use for water treatment is expected to
increase as more stringent water quality rules
and improved disinfection technologies, such
as ultraviolet treatment and ozonation, are put
in place that reduce the risk of carcinogens
and other potentially harmful disinfection byproducts.
Yet many drinking water systems lose
as much as 20 percent of treated drinking water
each year due to leaks in their pipe networks.3
Improving drinking water infrastructure would
save water and energy, and reduce the global
warming pollution that results from wasted
energy.