(Lawrenceville, Ga., Dec. 21, 2009) - Gwinnett County has a new energy management system for its drinking water production plants and the ancillary distribution system that will soon cut the electricity cost to run the complete drinking water system by about 10 percent.

By the end of this month, the new equipment and software will be operating. "We expect to reduce energy costs by about $400,000 annually by running pumps at off-peak times when its electric rates are lower," said Acting Water Resources Director Lynn Smarr. "And the system will save enough to pay for itself in three years."

Commissioners awarded the system-design contract to CH2MHill and Derceto, Inc. USA in November 2008. The energy needed to pump both raw and finished water accounts for about 90 percent of the energy costs for the drinking water utility, according to Smarr. The new system also helps efficiently manage the turnover of finished water stored in multi-million-gallon tanks.

Commission Chairman Charles Bannister said, "Our staff is very aware of the need to reduce costs while continuing to provide a high level of service to our customers. This is an excellent example of using technology improvements to cut expenses, operate more efficiently and reduce greenhouse gas emissions."