Pools and Sprinklers Linked to Higher Water Use

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Aug 03, 2023, 11:23 ET

Flume Q2 2023 Household Water Use Index Examines Outdoor Water Use Across the US

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., Aug. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Flume Data Labs released the Q2 2023 update to the Household Water Use Index, the leading measure of U.S. household water use. Flume Data Labs publishes the Household Water Use Index quarterly, to assess water use from single-family homes in the largest 15 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). Analysis is based on data from tens of thousands of Flume sensors installed on household water meters across the nation.

Indoor and Outdoor Water Use

Figure 1: Average outdoor water use for Flume-equipped homes with and without a swimming pool in Goodyear, AZ

During Q2 2023, the average residential indoor use in the 15 largest MSAs was 41.4 Gallons per Capita per Day (GPCD). Regionally, the range of indoor water use varied by area. The Dallas-Fort Worth MSA had the highest indoor use in Q2 2023, averaging 47.7 GPCD. The San Francisco Bay Area MSA again had the lowest indoor use, averaging 34.6 GPCD in Q2 2023.

The Flume Index also shows outdoor water use patterns during Q2 2023. Average outdoor Gallons per Household per Day (GPHD) was highest in the Riverside, CA MSA during Q2 2023, averaging around 254.0 GPHD. The Washington, DC MSA had the lowest outdoor water use, with 56.7 GPHD during Q2 2023. Outdoor water use patterns vary widely by season and region.

Water Use in Arizona

In the desert Southwest, where water is extremely precious, the Household Water Use Index has found that the Phoenix MSA has among the highest indoor and outdoor water users in the nation. However, a growing city in the Valley of the Sun, the City of Goodyear, is taking proactive steps to educate its residents and conserve water.

In an effort to help its water customers conserve water, Goodyear offered Flume sensors to its customers and encouraged them to track water use in real-time. The Flume device records water use every 5 seconds, measuring water use by appliance and fixture to determine the greatest opportunities for savings and alerting customers to potential leaks and abnormal usage.

To determine the impact of this program, an independent study was commissioned and found water savings from this program were significant. Homes that installed a Flume sensor reduced their annual water use by an average of 14.6% in the year after installation.

"The homes in our analysis that were equipped with Flume saved a combined total of 1.1 million gallons over a year," said Andrew Pirrone, Water Conservation Coordinator for the City of Goodyear.

Additionally, Flume worked with Goodyear to identify additional opportunities for customers to conserve water. Specifically, Flume analysis showed that about 40% of shower flow rates were above EPA WaterSense-rated levels and could potentially be reduced. Flume analysis also showed that about 48% of the participating homes were equipped with a swimming pool and these homes used 53.9 GPHD more than homes without a pool, as shown in Figure 1.

Homes with pools were not the only ones with higher use. Flume analysis found homes that primarily use sprinklers that irrigate turf used almost 100 GPHD more than homes that primarily use drip irrigation.

"When we learned that 40% of our Flume customers still had inefficient showerheads, we developed our residential showerhead rebate program. In addition, we are now assessing programs that will help homeowners with grass," said Pirrone. "This data confirms that helping residents be more efficient with their outdoor use, results in the most significant savings."

To learn more about Flume and how it works visit www.flumewater.com.

To view an interactive dashboard showing Flume data and to learn more about the Flume Data Labs Household Water Use Index, visit Flume Data Labs at www.flumedatalabs.com or contact us at [email protected].

About Flume Data Labs

Flume Data Labs understands the unique challenges faced by organizations that touch water. Flume Data Labs uses real-time data monitoring to collect and understand how residential water is used. Utilizing a nationwide network of data sensors and one-of-a-kind analysis, Flume Data Labs provides dynamic informed analysis in response to changing conditions and local challenges. To date, Flume Data Labs has tens of thousands of devices installed across the United States.

SOURCE Flume, Inc.