May 25, 2015
The American Public Works Association (APWA) Utah Chapter selected Logan City’s Water/Energy Efficiency Project as its Public Works Project of the Year. Representatives of the project team accepted the award at the chapter’s annual awards luncheon on May 21.
Long beset by water challenges, Logan had turned to Hansen, Allen & Luce (HAL) for innovative solutions. Rather than choose between water efficiency and energy efficiency, HAL helped Logan align both. After a thorough water and energy audit, HAL recommended a combination of capital and operational improvements that allowed water to be delivered along the most direct, energy-efficient path. Whitaker Construction, Hegerhorst Power Engineering, Widdison Turbine Service, and Nickerson Company assisted with well and pump station retrofits and the implementation of a new pressure zone.
One year after implementation, Logan’s water system had reduced energy costs by 32%, water use by 17%, and mainline breaks by 40%. The project eliminated the need for an expensive transmission project and postponed the development of a new water source.
Paul Lindhardt, Logan’s water division manager, is pleased with the results. “[The project] has helped make Logan City’s water system more efficient to the point of saving over $100,000 per year in just energy savings,” he said. “It has been amazing to see how familiar [HAL] has become with how our system operates. That familiarity has led to many suggestions and operational recommendations for improvements above and beyond the typical scope of work.”
In addition to direct savings, Logan has enjoyed several qualitative benefits. Customer complaints dropped. Maintenance crews shifted from response to prevention, and their attitudes improved. With lower pressures, crews working to repair pipelines were safer. Capital costs were also optimized, getting the best return on investment and addressing the most important problems first.
While the results are notable, Logan is just beginning its journey toward water and energy efficiency and will continue to improve.