PG&E Senior Account Manager Jorge Alleyne presents a check for $29,716.71 to California Water Service Engineer Stephen Harrison and Chief Engineer Todd Peters (L-R, Cal Water Pipeline newsletter)

 

What People are Saying!

The Advanced Pumping Efficiency Program (APEP) has helped hundreds of farmers and many irrigation districts and municipal water suppliers across the state save money by helping them become more efficient. Here's what participants are saying about the Program...

Gene Grumbles, Lucky Star Farming (Fresno County) "It's a positive situation all the way around. The tests showed how to save energy and increase efficiencies for pumping. It was good to find out where we were. I've sent two or three farmers to the program."

Steve Martin, Alpaugh Irrigation District (Tulare County) "Since all of our water is pumped groundwater, this program was important for us. We had repair work done on all of the applications we turned in. It's a very worthwhile program. I hope it continues. It's hard to say what our energy savings are yet - not until we get the PG&E bills. But from the volume of water and the efficiency of the pumps, we have seen a real increase in the volume of water each well puts out. One well has increased the amount of water pumped well over 50 percent. This will be the first year we will reap the benefits since we completed the projects."

Bill Tarp, Triangle Farms (Monterey County) "We already have a routine pump testing program, and this program was used to supplement our program. It was a good program because it allowed us to test all at one time instead of piecemeal . When the testing is done all at one time, you can compare all of the information and determine how you can make one (pump) more efficient than the other. This program tells how the pumps are doing. It provides a snapshot. The availability of funds to do this program was very worthwhile."

Andrew Clark, Clark Bros. Farming, (Fresno County): "It's important for us to monitor the pumps, especially where we're strictly well water. The tests showed us the best wells to fire up."

Enough to power 76 homes for a year, remove 39 cars from the road, and avoid 281.87 tons of carbon dioxide emissions-that's how much electricity Cal Water has saved through its pump optimization projects, which are just one way we are becoming an even more environmentally conscious company. PG&E recognized our Company in August for increasing the efficiency of several of our pumps and presented us with a rebate check for more than $29,000.

The pump optimization projects, which involved replacing less efficient pump bowls, changing the lubrication system and installing higher-efficiency motors, were done in all California districts; however, we have received large rebates in the Bakersfield , Selma , East Los Angeles, and Visalia districts for their projects. The Engineering Department chose the pumps for optimization based upon past efficiency. We also earned a rebate of $35,000 from PG&E in June for use of energy-efficient hardware at the Northwest Bakersfield Treatment Plant.

The PG&E rebates will ultimately lower costs to customers, as electricity costs incurred to pump water are passed through to customers on a dollar-for-dollar basis. So, any reduction in electricity costs is eventually reflected in water rates. We're not done yet, either. We are expected to receive more rebates from PG&E and Southern California Edison in the coming months, the first of which will occur in late November.

"As a water provider, we care about the environment, and optimizing the efficiency of our pumps is one way to show it," said Chief Engineer Todd Peters (GO). "Also, when we lower expenses and earn electricity rebates, that is eventually passed on to customers in the CPUC's rate-setting process."