We love to use utility water. Various industries rely on utility water as a primary resource. We need water for personal hygiene, human and agricultural nourishment, fossil fuels, and renewable resources, from manicured lawns and golf courses to meticulously placed water pumps for our energy needs. It is hard to imagine life without public water utilities providing wastewater treatment and freshwater distribution, leading me to view the current infrastructure for future improvements or opportunities.
Brief Background
Only 0.5% of Earth's 3% freshwater is available from our planet's hydrological cycle. My previous article identifies how Earth naturally sources the purest form of freshwater and where it lies, but we need to know the life cycle of how water reaches our faucet and where it drains.
The graphic below illustrates how municipalities manage the production and disposal of water in six stages.
The graph below identifies the global freshwater sources by percentage. A portion of groundwater is unobtainable at a reasonable cost, signified by an asterisk (*).
The graph above identifies the global freshwater sources by percentage. A portion of groundwater is unobtainable at a reasonable cost, signified by an asterisk (*).
Water Utility Pricing Structures
It is nearly impossible to locate water price by zip code. The price of water fluctuates based on the client: residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional. California is one of the only states offering a tool to provide information on drinking water availability and the associated costs. Four of the many rates for water include:
Incline block rate, charging a higher price at larger volumes
Decline block rate, rate decreases as water use increases
Pure fixed utility rate, a fixed based fee plus variable fees
Budget-based billing, a variable fee including days in the billing cycle, weather, household size, landscape area, fixtures, etc.
The basis of water rates shifts depending on the client type, water availability, and rates you choose. The goal of water pricing ultimately needs to be to recover the entire costs for service, accounting for the capital expense for infrastructure and grants associated with development like construction grants.
Technological Advancements for Water
Future articles will highlight emerging water capture technologies. These emerging technologies must become competitive with the real cost of water per unit. Water is now tradable as a commodity; the real cost of water ranges from $0.10 to $15, depending on the availability. Innovations in water capture will have to follow in the same footsteps as renewable energy. Instead of reducing the average cost per kWh, advancements in water must aim to find a way to decrease the average cost per gallon or minimize water rate usage over costs from the customer.
So, Why Should You Care?
The future global population is estimated to be 6.8 to 28.6 billion people by 2100, depending on the four fertility scenario models (68% in urban areas by 2050). Our population directly corresponds to the general consumption rates of water, and this rate can see an increase of up to 50% by 2050. The case of our global population and consumption rates suggest a need to innovate our current infrastructure. While sourcing water, we need to promote biodiversity and maintain economic gains which support a carbon-neutral future.
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
Earth's hydrological cycle deems water as a renewable resource. It might be sensible to consider water as finite based on our current and potential future consumption patterns. When updating our infrastructure, human migration patterns and shifts in a municipality's population can stress existing systems like pumping stations and influence water pressure changes. A decentralized approach or providing water at the source of use through popular concepts, like microgrids for energy, might not be so far-fetched. Introducing sensors to monitor water usage through the various stages of our water supply system may open up opportunities for blockchain technologies to better support and regulate water usage. Our love of water is apparent, making for future improvements or opportunities seemingly endless.
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