Estimation of CO ₂ emissions from the life cycle of a potable water pipeline project

The accumulation of CO ₂ emissions in the atmosphere is considered a major contributor to climate change. Consequently, it is essential to control the emissions generated by human activities to protect the environment for future generations. Many countries have set their own emission control targets to achieve by the middle of the century. In this context, it is important to quantify emissions from human activity and consider alternatives in order to reduce these emissions. This paper demonstrates a model for estimating life-cycle emissions resulting from an underground potable water-line project that could be used as a managerial decision support tool. The life cycle of the water pipeline is divided into different phases for the analysis. Different methods are used to estimate the emissions in each phase of the life cycle. The results indicate the life-cycle emissions from a demonstration 152.4-m (500-ft), 200-mm (8-in.)-diameter water pipeline at a representative 1.22-m (4-ft) depth range between 1,463.23:t and 1,524.98:t depending on the pipe material chosen. Four different pipe materials have been considered as alternatives in this research. The results indicate that molecular-oriented PVC (PVC-O) provides the best environmental savings compared to PVC, high-density polyethylene pipe (HDPE), and ductile iron in the demonstration of the potable water project.