AWWA JAW67808

A carbon footprint (CF) analysis is the sum of the estimated carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with a particular activity or industry. Without a standardized protocol for developing a CF of water production, U.S. utilities must draw on the experiences of other nations and adapt approaches used in other industries. In the United Kingdom, mandatory regulation of emissions for large industry has spurred collaborative development of CF methods for the water industry. British and Australian utilities are conducting CF analyses and using this information to better understand the environmental impact of their water production. First, various utility activities are defined, information about power and potential GHG emissions is gathered, and the GHGs are converted to carbon dioxide equivalents to create a CF assessment. The utility can then use this baseline CF as a management tool to guide decisions about sustainable operations and construction projects as well as future resources and treatment and transmission facilities. Includes 13 references, table, figure.