Water as a new resource for bus operators

Water consumption for public transport is an uninvestigated issue, yet water is central in environmental policies as it is for energy and pollution. No standards, regular data or policies are available in this field and washing operations are managed at garages according to local practice, with very few cases of water post-treatment. This paper moves from here and presents a scenario assessment where three innovative technologies for saving water are applied at three washing plants, within the European Commission's LIFEH2OBUS project. The technologies are: water reclamation; water reclamation and harvesting; waxing without water. Simulations highlight an 84% reduction in average of water consumption after one year of implementation, i.e. 37 million fresh water saved, for a fleet of 680 buses. By reaching 50% of the European transit fleet in 5 years (342,143 buses), 18 billion liters/year can be saved, corresponding to -42% of the total water used by the transport sector, along with a 1,159 GWh reduction of energy consumption, and 504 ktCO2eq greenhouse gas emissions less, equating to 151 million Euros saved. The research goal is to give rise to a new study field on water management in the transport sector and contribute to advance scientific knowledge further afield.