In the high desert of Reno, Nev., Truckee Meadows Water Authority strives to produce the highest-quality drinking water as cost-effectively as possible. For the past three years, the utility has taken full advantage of off-peak electric rates and has eliminated the use of pumps to deliver water to one treatment plant. Such initiatives save more than $1.7 million in electricity per year.
Truckee Meadows serves a population of 350,000 in Nevada’s Washoe County. About 90 percent of the area’s water comes from the Truckee River, which originates at Lake Tahoe. For summertime demands, backup for the surface water treatment plants, and
