Cooling Towers 101: AT&T's Pilot Program Cuts Water Usage

Mother Nature Network

Within 20 years, demand for water is forecast to grow by 40 percent. Globally, the middle class is expected to more than double by the year 2030, putting an even greater strain on water resources. Businesses need to start planning for these trends today.

As a telecommunications company, AT&T may not seem like it would be a large water user, but through its many facilities across the nation it does have significant water demands. The company has teamed up with EDF to explore operational and technology approaches to cut its water consumption.

Every day, buildings in the U.S. consume approximately 47 billion gallons of water, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. AT&T’s facilities consume about 3.4 billion gallons per year, with 125 of its facilities accounting for nearly 50 percent of the company's total water consumption.

In this video, Tim Fleming, AT&T Senior Energy Manager, explains the relationship between energy efficiency and water e