What can water and wastewater utilities do about climate change? Cut greenhouse gas emissions!
Actions start with an assessment that spans the urban water cycle. This is ECAM! Watch this video and learn more about this tool!
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Adaptation & Resilience – Report following Water Climate Discussion Series Discussion (13 May 2021)
The Water Climate Discussion series is creating a space to come together and help the water sector build its leading role in addressing the climate crisis. The series is the result of close collaboration between water institutions who have come together recognizing climate change as an existential threat and wish to have a voice promoting a key message: water is climate.
This report has been produced based on the discussion lead by Lucien Damiba from WaterAid, Trevor Bishop of WRSE, and the participants’ interaction during the first discussion of the series: Adaptation and Resilience, on Thursday, 13 May 2021. Chapter numbers refer to chapter markers in the video recording of the discussion.
Factsheet-ECAM 3.0 Assessing the Carbon Footprint of Urban Water Utilities-EN
The “Energy Performance and Carbon Emissions Assessment and Monitoring Tool” (ECAM) offers unique capabilities for assessing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption of water and sanitation systems. Gain greater insights by identifying areas to reduce GHG emissions, increase energy savings and improve overall efficiencies to reduce costs.
Ficha técnica-ECAM 3.0 Midiendo la huella de carbono de las empresas de agua y saneamiento-ES
La “Herramienta de Evaluación y Monitoreo del Desempeño Energético y Emisiones de Carbono” (ECAM) ofrece capacidades excepcionales para evaluar las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) y el consumo de energía en sistemas de agua y saneamiento. Obtenga nuevas perspectivas al identificar áreas de oportunidad para reducir las emisiones de GEI, aumentar el ahorro de energía y mejorar la eficiencia general para reducir costos.
Evaluation of the wastewater reutilization for irrigation in high-water stress regions in Chihuahua, Mexico
This document intends to depict the existing situation in Chihuahua City, capital of the state of Chihuahua, in the northern region of Mexico, including its climate context, water situation, wastewater treatment infrastructure, and greenhouse gas emissions from this process. To achieve this goal, the methodology of this project comprises an extensive literature research on climate change, the context of Mexico, and international case studies; communication with organizations and authorities in Chihuahua that provide valuable data and information, and calculations based on literature and on the guidelines of WaCCliM.
Resilient Water Infrastructure Design Brief
The present report focuses specifically on incorporating resilience into the engineering design of drinking water and sanitation infrastructure. It focuses narrowly on resilience in relation to three hazards, floods, droughts, and high winds. The focus is on these hazards because they are the
main threats that climate change is expected to pose to water infrastructure.
Shaping the water sector to be more climate resilient – A plea for greater and wider collaboration
Celebrating World Water Day 2021 on March 22nd, six experts, backed by five organizations (Stockholm Environment Institute, GIZ, Viva con Agua, WaterWorX and EXP-Consult) present a plea for greater and wider collaboration to shape the water sector to become more climate resilient. Improved management of water and sanitation services is fundamental not only for climate change adaptation but also for mitigation – and collaboration plays a major role in this. The report published under the umbrella of SuSanA describes important guidelines as well as specific approaches and regulatory framework conditions for cross-sectoral collaboration, as well as case studies from around the world. Low-carbon and climate-resilient water and sanitation services are technically feasible and economically viable. Cross-sectoral collaboration is needed, but must be done proportionately, with due consideration of opportunities and risks. With an appropriate regulatory framework in place, this can add important value for the implementation of SDGs and the Paris Agreement.
WaCCliM – Water and Wastewater Companies for Climate Mitigation (Project Video)
Water and wastewater companies are typically energy intensive. This indicates excellent opportunities for improving energy efficiency and greatly reducing greenhouse gas emissions through more energy-efficient systems, as well as recovering energy, nutrients and other materials from wastewater.
The ‘Water and Wastewater Companies for Climate Mitigation’ (WaCCliM) project shows how the urban water sector can reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions while preparing for climate change. WaCCliM engages with the international water and climate community, with national governments and with water and wastewater utilities as well as their associations in Jordan, Mexico and Peru. Together with its national and local partners, WaCCliM is improving the carbon balance of utilities in these countries and beyond. At the same time, the project aims to ensure that utilities increase their climate resilience, reduce their operational costs, and maintain, improve and adapt their services.
Fact Sheet | Strengthening the Water-Energy-Climate Nexus for Green Recovery
Continuous and financially sustainable water and sanitation services are the backbone of resilient economies, particularly during challenging times. In addition to that, the urban water sector can lead the transition towards green recovery through targeted investments, embarking on a pathway towards decarbonization and environmental sustainability. Besides securing continuous drinking water and sanitation for hygiene measures and industrial production, an investment initiative is needed to tap the full potential of combining water, energy and climate action. Implementing low carbon energy projects in the urban water and sanitation sector improves utilities services and financial sustainability, creates green jobs and local business opportunities, protects the climate and environment and increases resilience to face future financial, health and climate crises.
Methodology for establishing Baseline Scenarios
This methodology outlines the path for establishing business-as-usual (BAU) emission scenarios water and wastewater utilities could exhibit in the mid-term if the current management and practices were to continue in four easy steps. The approach is created on the basis of the “Energy Performance and Carbon Emissions Assessment and Monitoring” (ECAM) tool. Based on the projected future values of key parameters, the variables that are necessary to be inputted into ECAM – the ECAM inputs – for the computation of GHG emissions can be quantified for a certain point of time. This step is facilitated by the “Tool of Projecting ECAM Inputs for GHG Emissions as BAU Scenarios (PEIGE)” in Excel format, which automatically calculates future values once users have entered the current ECAM input values and BAU trends. BAU scenarios can help to understand the impacts of adopting a low carbon policy and can serve as a technical component to inform/decide strategic planning on climate change, emissions mitigation goal setting and long-term climate policy design.