Water-for-energy: The state of current data and 

near-term options

June 5, 2018

Dr. Peter S. Fiske

Director – Water-Energy Resilience Research Institute (WERRI)

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

June 5, 2018 – Fiske-LBL

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A crisis is a terrible thing to waste...
EIA was created...

“...unified energy data and 

information program which will 

collect, evaluate, assemble, 

analyze, and disseminate data 

and information which is relevant 

to energy resource reserves, 

energy production, demand, and 

technology, and related economic 

and statistical information, or 

which is relevant to the adequacy 

of energy resources to meet 

demands in the near and longer 

term future for the Nation’s 

economic and social needs.

Public Law 95-91, Section 205
What about water?
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Water Directly Affects the US Energy Demand

State-wide conservation led to ~25% reduction in water use
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June 5, 2018– Fiske-LBL

California invests ~$800M in energy conservation measures... 

how much energy is saved when you conserve water? 
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June 5, 2018– Fiske-LBL

Water conservation during the drought saved as much 

energy as ALL other conservation programs... combined

Spang et al., 2018
This was a complete 

surprise to everyone
EIA Residential, 

Commercial & 

Manufacturing Surveys

American 

Housing Survey

Scope of Available Energy Data

Annual

Seasonal

Month

Hourly

Household Building City State National

Metering Studies, 

Smart Meters

FERC Utility Operations, 

Market Data

State & US 

Census Data

EIA Utility Surveys

FERC Filings

Building

Simulation

Grid 

Modeling

NEMS

Scale of Data Collection

Time Resolution
No Nat’l Water Demand Survey for 

Household & Building (extrapolate from 

local, state, & regional surveys)

Scope of Available Water Data

Annual

Seasonal

Month

Hourly

Household Building City State National

Metering Studies No federal entity collecting 

operations and market data

State & US Census 

Data

Water Supply (USGS)

Utility Surveys (SDWIS)

NPDES Filings

No 

Building

Simulation

Local 

System 

Modeling

No 

NEMS 

for 

water

Scale of Data Collection

Time Resolution
National data on water supply AND demand are needed...

Dunham, Fuchs and Stratton, 2017

• Provide local utilities and 

planning agencies with data and 

tools they need to improve their 

operations and to secure 

adequate water supply

• Enable the creation of a longterm supply planning 

framework that deals effectively 

with hydrological uncertainty 

and water quality

• Provide methods to evaluate 

the benefits and economic 

value of alternative water 

sources such as reuse and storm 

water capture

• Link demand between all 

sectors
US unconventional oil and gas production will be limited by water

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Production Target (Mbbl/d)

Water Required (MGD)

1.0

0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

500

450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

Recycled water – source unknown

Recycled water – current economic limit

Secondary municipal wastewater

Freshwater
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Water is Energy
Our panelists

Melissa Harris – is the USGS Regional Water-Use Specialist for the southeast 

and a member of the USGS National Water Use Leadership Team whose 

responsibilities include compiling and disseminating the nation’s water-use 

data.

Rick McCurdy – is the Senior Engineering Advisor for Chesapeake Energy in 

Oklahoma City, OK. Rick has spent much of his career in treating oilfield water 

systems and is an expert in the reclamation and reuse of produced brines.

Dan Yates - is the Associate Executive Director of the Ground Water 

Protection Council. The GWPC’s members consist of state ground water 

regulatory agencies The GWPC is dedicated to promoting and ensuring the 

use of best management practices and fair but effective laws regarding 

comprehensive ground water protection.