Levelized cost of water

{{Short description|Measure of efficiency of water treatment}}

The levelized cost of water (LCOW or LCW) is the "cost per unit volume of product water produced by a water treatment process or service". It is a measure of efficiency, with lower values representing more efficient methods. LCW can refer to drinking water for human consumption or water for irrigation.{{cite journal|doi=10.1146/annurev-environ-012220-105152|doi-access=free|title=Chemical Contamination of Drinking Water in Resource-Constrained Settings: Global Prevalence and Piloted Mitigation Strategies|year=2020|last1=Amrose|first1=Susan E.|last2=Cherukumilli|first2=Katya|last3=Wright|first3=Natasha C.|journal=Annual Review of Environment and Resources|volume=45|pages=195–226}} The LCW varies with the method used to produce drinking water. Desalination, which produces usable water from saline water, has a higher LCW than processing groundwater or surface water. A 2020 study found that advances in decarbonization would reduce the levelized cost of water produced via desalination from €2.4 per cubic meter in 2015 (US${{To USD|2.4|EUR}}) to €1.05 per cubic meter in 2050 (US${{To USD|1.05|EUR}}).{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.energy.2020.117507|title=Strengthening the global water supply through a decarbonised global desalination sector and improved irrigation systems|year=2020|last1=Caldera|first1=Upeksha|last2=Breyer|first2=Christian|journal=Energy|volume=200|page=117507|doi-access=free}} LCW of desalination also depends on the amount of saline that needs to be removed from water: The United States Department of Energy's 2018 grant guidelines suggested a target of $1.50/m³ for solar-thermal desalination of high-salinity water and a target of $0.50/m³ for low-salinity water such as sea water.{{cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-announces-21-million-advance-solar-desalination-technologies| title=Department of Energy Announces $21 Million to Advance Solar Desalination Technologies| website=Energy.gov| access-date=30 March 2021| date=19 June 2018}}