Repairing damaged water boreholes in Malawi

Project Drawdown defines water distribution as: reducing water leakage or oversupply of regional water, which reduces pumping and pressurization electricity and associated greenhouse gas emissions. This solution replaces conventional water system management with no specific leak detection program.

 

Water utilities are among the biggest consumers of electricity globally, corresponding to about 1% of total electricity use in the world. Up to 80 percent of that energy is used for pumping alone. However, a significant amount of water is lost in the distribution network (e.g. by pipe leakage, meter error, and unauthorized consumption): the global average loss is estimated at 35 percent. 

 

This has a direct impact on the production cost of water, as well as on the available quantity of potable water. Saving just half of these losses would supply water to an additional 100 million people.