Report Looks at Water-Energy Link

The POLIS Water Sustainability Project has released a new research report that looks at the link between water and energy use.  The report, entitled Ontario’s Water-Energy Nexus: Will We Find Ourselves in Hot Water…or Tap into Opportunity?, details Canada’s first estimate of the energy required for providing water-related services.

The study reports that pumping and treating water and wastewater consumes enough energy to light every home in the province. In addition, heating water for activities such as showering and doing laundry was found to be the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the residential and commercial sectors because of the heavy reliance on fossil fuels.

Initiatives to support greater water conservation and efficiency could be a path to realizing future energy savings, to the benefit of municipalities, businesses, taxpayers and our environment, says POLIS. Read the report here.