Overview of the Energy Crisis

Abstract

Prospective exhaustion of fossil fuels in the US requires the efficient use of US energy resources. Conservation programs by the water service field and its customers, with attention to energy efficiency in design and operation of treatment plants, can substantially reduce consumption of irreplaceable energy.Lately, the US has grown almost accustomed to crises as each new year seemingly brings its own distinct cause for anxiety.But the energy crisis is perhaps the most serious threat to industrial society ever encountered in the US.The fuels relied upon today oil and natural gas are nonrenewable and near depletion-For that matter, coal and uranium, though abundant are, ultimately, finite resources.Consequently, developing resources to replace conventional fuels is crucial or the US will face the prospect of their final exhaustion. This predicament is compounded by the danger posed to US national interests by unreliable supplies of imported oil.So, while developing alternative fuel sources for the post-fossil fuel period, it is necessary both to maximize the use of conven tional, domestic energy resources and to use available energy more efficiently to achieve the goal of reducing vulnerability to disruptions of oil supplies and manipulations of its price.While all these approaches are vital, it is conservation that will produce the most immediate results, and conservation is the means by which water suppliers can perform the greatest service to the nation.The importance of conservation accounts for the Federal Energy Administration's interest in water supply. There are many opportunities for reducing energy use in our water-supply system, both at the water works itself and on the customer's premises. At the Water WorksEnergy use can be approached in many ways: by re-evaluating new pipeline construction, water-supply treatment and distribu tion facilities, and sewage treatment plants, plans can be exam ined in the light of new energy realities. Can the new facility be foregone? Can it be made more efficient? These are the kind of questions about each project that must be asked again.Designing for minimum energy use is also a worthwhile goal. Using the proper size lines, substituting use of standpipes for pumps where practical, selecting the most efficient pump where 338MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS one is needed, installing the most efficient type and model of driver, choosing the most efficient cars and trucks for use at work, and developing methods of controlling bacteria that do not use chlorine since chlorine requires large amounts of energy to produce can all save energy. When all are applied together, the savings from these actions can be quite significant.The system can also be operated and maintained more effi ciently. Undersized lines that increase demand for pumping power, and pump impellers rendered inefficient by erosion and corrosion can be replaced for important energy savings. It also pays to apply protective coatings to impellers to forestall damage in the first place. Finally, verifying schedules for ...

CONSERVATION PRACTICES AND ATTITUDES AMONG MARYLAND WATER SUPPLY MANAGERS1

“…The central one is that most supply managers continue to view conservation as a single purpose response to water shortages. This attitude exists despite research indicating that conservation serves many purposes such as lower energy consumption (Cornell, 1978;Lystra, er ul., 1981;Sant, 1976), reduced capacity costs (Flack and ROUSSOS, 1978;Fletcher and Sharpe, 1978;Diebert, 1978), and lower operation costs (McGarry and Brusnighan, 1979).…”