Description
Water treatment and distribution
Our Water Division consumes a large amount of electricity each day. It treats and delivers about 54 million gallons of safe drinking water daily. This takes almost 40 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity each year. That’s more than any other City operation. Electricity powers pumps that move water from the river through the treatment process. These pumps then push the water into the distribution system, delivering it to every tap in the city. Since electricity is necessary to provide safe drinking water, we must use energy efficiently. We should also use renewable energy whenever possible.
What we are doing
Reducing energy use
Our Energy Management team meets six times a year to review energy use. In this meeting, we look to find ways to use less energy. Each month, we update an energy dashboard that tracks how much energy is used to treat and pump water. It shows how many gallons are pumped for each kWh of electricity used. The dashboard also includes data for different campuses, buildings, and individual pumps. We also:
- use energy-saving ideas when planning projects. Our project managers choose efficient equipment that uses the least amount of energy.
- take part in Xcel Energy’s rebate program, which provides money back when we use energy-saving equipment. Over the past few years, we have applied for and received many of these rebates.
- work with Xcel Energy through the Process Efficiency Program. This program helps large energy users reduce their energy use. Xcel Energy offers expert advice, custom studies, and energy assessments.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Our goal is to reduce emissions by at least 10%. Renewable energy helps reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We participate in two renewable energy programs from Xcel Energy. In 2025, 100% of our electricity was renewable through the Renewable*Connect program:
- Renewable*Connect
- This program allows customers to choose renewable energy for a small fee. It does not require any equipment to be installed, and the customer keeps the Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).
- Solar*Rewards Community Program
- This program helps people and organizations support solar projects without installing any equipment. In 2024, we supported nearly 18 million kWh of solar energy.
In 2025, received proposals to install a large solar panel system at our Columbia Heights Campus for on-site power generation. The planned solar panel system is about 800 kilowatts. And since we operate 24 hours a day, we are also exploring large battery systems for energy storage to use solar-generated electricity at night.
Related Links
Xcel Energy - Process Efficiency Program