Power Resilience in Utah’s Water Sector: A Survey of Stakeholder Practices, Preferences, and Potential

• We survey 19 Utah water and wastewater organizations on their power resilience. • Most have backup power and some have renewable energy. • The most prevalent renewables are photovoltaic solar, cogeneration, and hydropower. • However, ee find more cases of failed renewables than successful ones. • Feasibility studies seem to miss operation of renewable energy. Drinking water and wastewater services are vulnerable to power disruptions because they rely on the electric grid. Power outages can lead to water outages, creating cascading failures that compromise sanitation, firefighting, healthcare, and daily routines. However, there are few studies of water and wastewater power resilience at the state level. In this study we investigate the extent of backup power and renewable energy integration as well as the motivations and barriers around their power resilience. We collect our data through semi-structured interviews with staff at 19 urban and rural water and wastewater facilities throughout the state of Utah, USA. We find that all facilities experience power outages, 89% have backup power, and 69% are satisfied with their backup power. We also find that 19% of facilities have functioning renewable energy technologies while 30% have inoperable renewables. The high rate of failed renewables corresponds to circumstances after installation that feasibility studies did not consider, including monitoring, compatibility, permitting, and inconsistent generation. In addition, 96% of organizations have explored renewables, 7% plan to install more renewables, and 30% plan to procure more backup power. The primary motivations for power resilience are providing uninterrupted service and saving money. The primary barriers are financial and operational difficulties associated with the technologies. We recommend that water and wastewater facilities ensure continuity of service through backup generators, water storage, and other alternatives; more carefully select renewables, with particular attention to their operability after installation; and commit to raising funds—the most-cited barrier—for power resilience projects.