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Indoor Water Use                                                                            


Overview

Indoor water use comprises roughly 50% of residential use (Neibauer & Waskom, 2014). Non-residential indoor water use varies by business type. Despite this diversity, non-residential indoor strategies have incredible water savings potential with annual program savings estimates ranging between 500,000 and 730 million gallons a year (Dziegielewski B., 2016). Ensuring both residential and non-residential customers have high-efficiency fixtures is a fundamental component of indoor water conservation; however, when it comes to indoor efficiency opportunities, not all customers are the same. For example, as technology has advanced over time, so has the efficiency of fixtures in newer development. An effective indoor water use conservation program will adapt offerings to align resources with sectors and customers most in need of improvements but who have historically been overlooked in water conservation programs.

In addition to fixture efficiency, another key indoor best practice is helping customers identify and address leaks which can help reduce unnecessary water waste. A simple toilet leak can waste up to 10,000 gallons a year (EPA, 2023). The Indoor Water Use Best Practice Area provides recommendations for developing effective programs that help customers improve indoor water efficiency and reduce water waste from leaks.

For more on this best practice see the CWW Best Practices document, which includes additional information on:

  • Targeting users with indoor efficiency programs based on their specific needs, to increase program effectiveness, especially if resources are limited.
  • Establishing residential indoor efficiency programs that support the installation of higher efficiency fixtures.
  • Establishing non-residential indoor efficiency programs that address the diversity of indoor water efficiency and conservation opportunities.
  • Establishing strategies to support customer leak detection to reduce water waste. 
  See external resources related to Indoor Water Use.

Key Takeaways

Targeting Users
    • Strategically targeting high water users is key for maximizing impact and success in the indoor sector. Identifying high-indoor water users can help resources go to customers with the highest potential for savings.
    • Indoor programs are essential for developing equitable water conservation programs. Low-income customers’ predominant end uses are indoors. Indoor programs should be designed to support customers in replacing outdated and inefficient equipment.
Residential Indoor Efficiency
    • It is critical to ensure programs encourage installation of equipment that goes beyond current minimum plumbing standards.
    • Compared to rebates, direct installation programs are the best practice for supporting indoor water efficiency in residential settings.
Non-residential Indoor Efficiency
    • Non-residential water use is extremely variable. The first step and best practice for the non-residential sector is to classify all nonresidential customers by use type (e.g., office, hospital, etc.).
    • Non-residential water assessments should be paired with rebate programs to maximize program impact and success.
    • When resources are available, custom water rebates create more flexibility to support non-residential water customers.

Major Benefits and Considerations

Category  Definition
Water Savings Residential Programs
  • Supporting replacement with high efficiency water fixtures can reduce indoor water demand by 30% (Neibauer & Waskom, 2014).
Non-Residential Programs
Leak Identifications
  • Leak notification have been found to save water providers between 25 and 165 million gallons a year, however greater savings are achieved when alerts are sent quickly and there is not a lag time between when the notification is sent and received by the customer (Alliance for Water Efficiency, 2023).
Other Benefits
  • Indoor water savings can reduce or delay the need for costly water supply and/or infrastructure development, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions for the treatment and distribution of water and wastewater.
  • Indoor water use best practices are some of the most important for supporting low-income customers, who primarily use water indoors.
  • Customers who participate in indoor water programs may realize cost savings on their water bills.
  • Customer leak detection programs can empower customers to identify and eliminate leaks.

Costs

Category  Definition 
Water Provider
Costs		 Residential Programs
  • Budgets for indoor programs range between $10,000 and $50,000. Additional costs water providers must consider include any software or program for program administration.
Non-Residential Programs
  • Non-residential programs are generally more expensive and require more staff time than residential programs due to their size and complexity.
  • The main costs associated with non-residential water assessments are staff time to conduct the assessment. If a custom rebate model is used, processing will take more time than a prescriptive rebate model.
Leak Detection
  • Leak reduction strategies vary widely in cost. However, none require a lot of staff time unless a water provider is interested in proactive leak resolution or enforcement.
Customer Costs

Residential Programs

  • For rebate programs, the customer covers the difference between the cost of the equipment and the amount of the rebate. Alternatively, depending on program design, direct installation programs will likely be a low or no-cost service for the customer.

Non-Residential Programs

  • Non-residential assessments are a no cost opportunity for a customer to learn more about their water use. If a customer participates in a rebate program, the customer must pay for the portion of the equipment that the rebate does not cover, in addition to their own time to submit and apply for the rebate.

Leak Detection

  • While the customer will not bear any costs for leak detection through AMI meters or portals, some water providers require customers to pay for the cost of fixing the leaks.

Case Studies


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management@coloradowaterwise.org 

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