For a water utility to improve its energy use, it should have at least ___________ of energy and cost data to establish a baseline.

• A. 24 months
• B. 12 months
• C. 60 months
• D. 36 months

Answer: (B)

Capturing a full year of energy and cost data lets you see how energy use changes with seasons, weather, and varying system demand. Water utilities experience different pumping, treatment, and distribution needs throughout the year, so a twelve-month period provides a representative baseline that reflects typical operating conditions. If you used less than a year, you might miss seasonal peaks or troughs and misjudge energy efficiency opportunities. A twelve-month baseline gives a stable reference to identify where to reduce energy use and to track progress over time. Using more than a year generally doesn’t add meaningful insight and can complicate the analysis.