AMER0838_CR Report 2010_8_23 - American Water

perspective on: governance energy and water and ethics
Our business
our depends resources. on trust.
Preserving and protecting
Reducing greenhouse gas
emissions by more than
15 percent
in less than 10 years
A Tennessee American Water employee
uses the latest technology to check for
underground leaks.
Reducing the energy footprint oF our services
Energy and water are inextricably linked. Because water is heavy and must move through many process steps
before it reaches customers’ taps, public water supply and treatment is one of the world’s most energyintensive
systems. Before it reaches the consumer it has typically been pumped from the source to the
treatment facility, where further energy will be used in the treatment process. Water will then be pumped to a
treated water reservoir and may require further pumping in the distribution system. Throughout the process,
there can be additional inefficiencies if water is lost in the system due to leaky pipes. Once in customers’
homes there is more energy used in order to heat water for showers, washers and cooking. Additionally, we
use energy to treat and discharge wastewater.
American Water has an overarching goal to reduce the energy footprint of our water services. Reducing energy
intensity of our water services achieves several goals at once. Energy efficiency helps to reduce costs and
drive down our operating expenditures—cost savings that can be translated into savings on our customers’
water bills. Additionally, by reducing the embedded energy in water, American Water also reduces greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions that impact climate change.
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