California drought Archives - Environment+Energy Leader

Can Scientists Help Crack California’s Drought Conditions? For Industry’s Sake, Let’s Hope So

June 1, 2016May 31, 2016 by Ken Silverstein

We consume nearly 1,500 gallons of water each day, which is unsustainable in the long term, but in water-short California the issue is already coming to a head.

Pilot Project Tests Recycled Oilfield Water for Agricultural Use

April 18, 2016April 19, 2016 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

A pilot project to test treated oilfield wastewater for potential use in agricultural irrigation is underway in California. Sweetwater Tech Resources’ Wasco, California-based project uses IntelliFlux artificial intelligence-based software developed by Water Planet. Water Planet’s IMS-5000 Integrated Produced Water Treatment Solution technology used in the pilot is an integrated mechanical ... Read more »

California ‘Ready for Recycled Water’

March 14, 2016March 14, 2016 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

California residents are overwhelmingly supportive of using treated wastewater, or recycled water, in their everyday lives, according to a statewide survey released today by water technology provider Xylem. The survey defined recycled water as former wastewater that has been treated and purified so that it can be reused for drinking ... Read more »

Water Shortages May Cut Short US Energy Revolution. What’s Needed?

February 25, 2016February 24, 2016 by Ken Silverstein

With the shale gas boom reverberating across the United States, the country has found an abundant and cheap energy source — one that is reducing energy costs for corporations while also cutting the emissions of industrials and utilities. But while there’s plenty of natural gas, there’s not now enough water ... Read more »

Evoqua’s Water Treatment Tech Helps City Address Water Supply Challenges

February 19, 2016February 19, 2016 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

Evoqua Water Technologies will provide its water treatment technologies and services to the city of Paso Robles, California, as the city attempts to overcome water supply challenges due to the state’s ongoing drought. In the past, the city relied entirely on groundwater, drawn from a large aquifer. To diversify its ... Read more »

As California Water Levels Drop, Electric Customers Pay $2B More

February 18, 2016 by Cheryl Kaften

Hydroelectricity is considerably less expensive than other forms of energy – which is among the many reasons why, for years, California has relied upon its rivers and reservoirs for fully 18 percent of its generation mix. However, following a serious four-year drought, hydropower production in the Golden State has substantially ... Read more »

During Drought, Solar Power Shines as a Low-Water Electricity Source

February 17, 2016February 17, 2016 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

Water crises pose the no. 1 risk for the planet over the next 10 years, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2016. This may be a boon for rooftop solar power, which uses significantly less water compared to other types of electricity. California, for example, still experiencing ... Read more »

Is Recycled Oilfield Water Safe for Crop Irrigation?

January 19, 2016January 18, 2016 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

Some 50,000 acre feet of recycled oilfield wastewater is used to irrigate about 90,000 acres of crops in California’s Central Valley, one of the world’s most productive agricultural regions. But is this produced water safe for use on food crops? A newly formed panel aims to answer this question. “There ... Read more »

Water Saving Tips for Facility Managers, Owners

January 8, 2016November 13, 2016 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

Water conservation and saving money on water bills are likely top of mind for facility managers and owner/operators going into the new year. Forty out of 50 state water managers expect water shortages under average conditions in some portion of their states over the next decade, according to the EPA. ... Read more »

‘Toilet-to-Tap’ Wastewater Recycling Takes Off as Water Supplies Shrink

December 14, 2015December 11, 2015 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

Recycled wastewater has been used for decades to irrigate crops, golf courses and landscapes. Now, with water scarcity affecting growing areas globally, more communities are looking to turn treated sewage into potable water — and this creates a huge opportunity for companies including Dow Chemical that provide toilet-to-tap technology. “Communities ... Read more »

CBRE Water Management Program Cuts Facilities’ Water Costs 38%

December 7, 2015 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

CBRE’s pilot water management program has saved its clients more than 1 billion gallons of water over the past 18 months, reducing their annual water costs an average of 38 percent. This has resulted in more than $5 million in total savings for CBRE’s Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) clients, the ... Read more »

Industry Looks to Desalination, Emerging Water Treatment Technologies

November 16, 2015November 13, 2015 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

Four years into California’s historic drought, a $1 billion desalination plant is being built by Poseidon Water. The Carlsbad Desalination Project, 12 years in the making, will convert up to 56 million gallons of seawater daily into drinking water for San Diego County. It’s the state’s first major desalination plant ... Read more »

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