Background

Water utility industries offer great scope for improvement in efficiency, because many elements of the value chain such as pumps and other equipment are often aging, and because there is a lack of end-user awareness about efficient water use.

Purpose

To develop a national initiative for the reduction of energy consumption in water utilities in close cooperation with the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) of Lesotho.

Main Activities

• Analyse the barriers for improving energy efficiency in water treatment plants and reducing water consumption at end user level
• Develop and implement a tailored energy efficiency management plan to generate energy savings in WASA facilities
• Design a water efficiency awareness raising campaign for end users
• Assist WASA in the implementation of initial demonstration projects
• Design measurement and verification protocols for water and energy savings generated by these pilot projects
• Scale up the project through energy performance contracting, developing a tender for ESCOs to encourage further investment, introducing the use of third party financing and if applicable, carbon finance
• Organise a workshop to share best practices with Government and other public facilities in the country

Expected Impact

• A reduction of energy consumption at approximately 10 WASA water treatment plants through the initial implementation of the energy efficiency master plan and demonstration projects
• Public awareness leading to a nation-wide reduction in end-user water wastage, thus reducing water treatment plant energy consumption
• Reduction of carbon emissions
• Reduction of the high maintenance costs of inefficient equipment and plants
• Increased water availability for end users
• Scale-up of similar approaches by other public organisations in Lesotho and other countries in the region