Water, wastewater utilities aim to achieve GHG reduction goals by 2040

A new survey sponsored by Xylem finds that, in a survey of 100 utilities in North America and Europe, most respondents aim to achieve their GHG reduction goals by 2040 or earlier.

May 19, 2023

2 min read

A new survey of 100 utilities in North America and Europe finds that 75% of respondents intend to achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals by 2040 or earlier.

The survey, sponsored by water technology company Xylem, also found that 48% of respondents have set a net-zero emissions goal, and 42% has set an emissions reduction goal.

“The water sector has an important role in the global effort to reduce GHG emissions,” said Patrick Decker, president and CEO at Xylem. “Our sector is energy intensive. However, smart application of technology makes it possible to manage water far more efficiently and affordably. Increasingly, utilities are finding ways to deploy technology to become more resilient and reduce emissions, while also addressing many of their operational concerns.”

The implementation of new and innovative products and solutions can help utilities advance their decarbonization strategies. In Europe, for example, 31% of respondents plan on installing more energy-efficient technologies. Others are leveraging digital solutions, with 29% looking into advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and leak detection solutions, and 24% turning to treatment system optimization technologies.

Similarly in North America, 35% of respondents plan on implementing plant or asset optimization technologies to advance their decarbonization goals.

With 37% of North American respondents citing resilience to extreme storms and floods as a major concern, advanced digital solutions are also helping water managers improve operational and environmental outcomes at an affordable cost. Buffalo Sewer Authority (BSA), U.S. saved $145 million by deploying a smart sewer system that reduced polluted water flowing into its rivers during storm events — ultimately solving a longstanding problem without spending on new infrastructure.

Many utilities ranked process emissions — such as methane and nitrous oxide — close to last in their priorities for action, despite their significant impact.

The decarbonization strategies being deployed by utilities are captured in Xylem’s recent paper, Net Zero – The Race We All Win.