EPA Publishes Water Conservation and Efficiency Best Practices for Water Supply Assessment

EPA has published a document that provides water conservation and efficiency best practices for evaluating water supply projects.  The document is entitled, “Best Practices to Consider When Evaluating Water Conservation and Efficiency as an Alternative for Water Supply Expansion (PDF).”   The purpose of the document is to help water utilities, as well as Federal and state governments, carry out assessments of the potential for future water conservation and efficiency savings to avoid or minimize the need for new water supply development.  The document includes some basic background information, along with best practices and case studies in the following categories:

  1. Water System Management: Supply Side and Demand Side Accounting
  2. Water Loss Minimization: Leak Management
  3. Metering
  4. Conservation Rate Structure
  5. End Use Water Conservation and Efficiency Analysis
  6. Water Conservation and Efficiency Plan

There is also an appendix with a deliverables chart for quantifying actions taken in each category.  For more information, visit EPA’s website.