Integrated Policy and Planning for Water and Energy

We are faced with chronic water and energy vulnerabilities. Some argue that we will face two crises in the 21st century: a water crisis and an energy crisis (Brown 1998, 2003, Flavin 1999, Feffer 2008). Water will become increasingly scarce as water tables drop due to over-consumption and water quality will continue to deteriorate as a result of excessive contamination. Further, the present energy regime’s dependence on non-renewable sources has added considerable stress to the environment, including the prospect of climate change (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007). We are amidst a situation where we could be easily blamed for compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This paper first briefly describes a need for understanding the integrated considerations of water and energy in resource planning, especially during droughts. After introducing a conceptual framework of the water-energy integration, this paper reviews the results of a national survey of energy and water departments to see how these synergic benefits are explored at the state level. Lessons learned from our case studies serve as useful guidelines for state water-energy planning and program development. Finally, as an example case of the water-energy nexus, the concept of desalination is introduced with its implication on energy demand.