Flex Your Power Case Study: Orange County Water District

In 2001, Orange County Water District (OCWD) implemented a number of new projects to reduce energy load, save money and preserve or extend equipment life. The projects targeted office spaces, employee behavior and water treatment systems. For the past few years OCWD has operated its treatment facilities around daily energy flocculation when possible. OCWD did not make improvements to its Water Factory 21 treatment facility; the facility is scheduled to be converted in mid-2003 into the Ground Water Replenishment System (GWR), an MF/RO facility designed with the latest energy-efficient equipment and processes. OCWD predicted that the GWR will save 140 kilowatt-hours (kWh) each year.

OCWD's goals in 2001 were to reduce energy load, save money and preserve/extend equipment life. Its projects targeted power use in buildings' electrical/lighting systems; chemical and energy management issues concerning the plant treatment process and HVAC systems; and energy use by employees and ultimately customers.

To measure results, in-house and outside consultants gathered and evaluated power readings of various areas each month, as well as the chemical analysis of HVAC water systems. In other cases, the money saved by not using high-cost electricity determined the results. Each program implemented by OCWD resulted in some savings or reduced demand. By taking a no-cost measure such as turning off its decorative fountain, OCWD saved 40,000 gallons of water in a year. The HVAC program saved
$3,000/year, lighting retrofits saved $700/year and automatic light sensors saved $200/year. Overall, OCWD reduced its total electrical load by 3 percent and saved 250,000 kW and approximately $35,000 annually with an expected payback time of less than two months.