Description
Water-energy nexus
It takes a lot of energy to treat and pump drinking water. At the same time, it also takes a lot of water to make energy. The connection between water and energy is called the water-energy nexus. Because of the energy needed to treat and pump water, it’s important for the city to help people use less water. We track the average water use per person, which continues to decline.
What we’re doing
Water loss
We do a yearly audit to estimate water loss from leaks and breaks in pipes. The system has very few leaks and breaks. But reviewing the water system helps to identify, address, and reduce water losses. Minimizing water loss from leaks and breaks reduces the amount of water produced. As a result, the amount of energy used is also reduced.
High water use
We are exploring a process to tell residents if their water use is continually high every month, so they can look for possible leaks.
Water efficiency grants
The Community Planning & Economic Development’s (CPED) Housing Policy & Development team administers grant funds from the Metropolitan Council to help low-income residents install water-efficient products. Toilets are an example of a water-efficient product that's installed. These upgrades lead to producing less water and using less energy.