The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) provides a comprehensive program of training and technical assistance for water providers across Colorado called the Colorado Water Loss Initiative (CWLI), and supports a strategic objective from the Colorado Water Plan – to support water management activities for all water providers. The focus of the program is on the AWWA M36 water audit, the free AWWA Water Audit Software, and the basic audit validation methodology. The AWWA Water Audit Software is the industry standard tool for quantifying water loss and non-revenue water.

Phase 1 of the CWLI program took place from 2018 – 2020, introducing the American Water Works Association (AWWA) M36 methodology and the AWWA Free Water Audit Software.

Phase 2 of the CWLI is currently available to all water providers and offers water loss training and technical assistance at two different entry points. Phase 2 will continue through 2024.

Learner Track: Water providers that partially participated in Phase 1 or are brand new to the program enter a new learner track with the opportunity to move into the advanced program track.

Advanced Track: Water providers that fully completed Phase 1 may continue an advanced track with training and direct technical assistance. Technical assistance opportunities include supply input meter testing, billing data analysis and prorating, customer meter test design and result analysis, real loss component analysis, or leak detection.

The CWLI and the M36 methodology are for systems of all sizes, and small systems are encouraged to participate. Approximately 85% of the Phase 1 participants said they spent 40 hours or less throughout the two-year program on efforts outside of the CWLI workshops (e.g., data gathering, internal team meetings) and 93% said that their experience in the Phase 1 will drive them to continue using the AWWA M36 methodology and Free Water Audit Software annually moving forward.

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