Addressing America's water crisis could reduce carbon emissions.
Source: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/addressing-americas-water-crisis-could-also-cut-carbon-emissions
Author: Tyler Burkhardt
A 2020 study by researchers at the University of California - Davis and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) further supports these findings. The study examined three different scenarios in which the electricity savings from water conservation programs were compared with those from Los Angeles's existing energy savings programs.
“Across all scenarios, the estimated energy savings secured through water conservation programs prove to be cost-competitive with the energy efficiency programs enacted by the utility,” the report found. And in some scenarios, “water conservation becomes a significantly more attractive pathway for saving energy.”
In short, while their effectiveness does vary by region, water conservation policies can be an effective means of reducing emissions from status-quo energy sources. And in the Southwest, where water conservation serves as a double-win climate solution, these policies may be the best method of reducing GHGs until the United States undergoes a full energy transition.