OPTIMIZATION OF ENERGY AND WATER QUALITY COSTS FOR DRINKING WATER UTILITIES

INTRODUCTION A drinking water utility operates with the primary goal to provide safe, aesthetically pleasing water to its customers while meeting demand at a reduced cost. In doing so, the water utility considers the environmental, economic, and social functions of an operating distribution system when it comes to decision making. In 2019, Madison Water Utility (MWU) pumped 8.97 billion gallons of water for an energy consumption of 18.9 GWh and a total pumping electricity cost of $1.86 million (PSC, 2019). Past research funded by MWU has focused on reducing pumping energy use, pumping energy costs, and evaluating unidirectional flushing in response to customer concerns. This study has expanded on that research and focuses on optimizing pumping with energy, energy costs, and water quality considerations. The objectives for this research included: 1. Characterize cost intensities associated with energy and water quality for each well on MWU’s east side (Zones 3, 4, 5, 6e). 2. Develop a method to minimize the cost intensity of operating the wells and zones as an interconnected system with an off-peak pumping strategy 3. Use the developed procedure to prioritize capital investment