In 2022 there were 96,234 manufactured homes, sometimes called mobile homes, in Colorado. Of these, 44% (42,343) were built prior to 1980, meaning there may be significant opportunities to increase the efficiencies of fixtures in these homes.

Manufactured home communities have been largely left out of water conservation program design and support in part due to several barriers that can make it difficult to deliver effective programs. Manufactured home communities are usually master metered and, as a result, it can be challenging to understand water use and identify savings opportunities on a per-home basis. Additionally, some manufactured home communities are managed by a property manager. In these cases, a water provider must work directly with the property manager or get permission from the property manager to work with residents, which can require substantial relationship building.

Even when connecting directly with residents, water providers may need to take time to build up trust or be prepared to address concerns beyond conservation. A 2022 survey of 800 manufactured home residents found 95% do not trust the tap water in their home and almost 75% do not drink the tap water in their home as a result (Protegete, 2022). That said, 85% identified that they support and are interested in local government and water providers providing financial incentives for water efficient fixtures and landscapes (Protegete, 2022).

During the 2023 legislative session, HB23-1257 passed, requiring the State to develop a water testing program by July 2024. All of Colorado’s manufactured home communities must be tested by July 1, 2028. The bill outlines standards for testing, as well as actions to take if a manufactured home community is out of compliance. Colorado Springs Utilities has started to tackle manufactured home water use by offering free direct installation of high efficiency equipment and leak detection services to manufactured home communities. Partnering with a local plumber and Energy Resource Center, Colorado Springs worked with Highland Home Mobile Home Park in 2022. Highland Home Mobile Home Park was built in 1945. With 98 units on-site, the community averaged just under 1,000,000 gallons of water per year. The community is deemed affordable housing by the City of Colorado Springs and the majority of residents’ primary language is Spanish.

It took multiple visits to reach the Property Manager of Highland Mobile Home Parks. Once a relationship was built, Colorado Springs leveraged a weekly resident meeting to inform residents about the opportunity. Of the 98 units, 30 signed up for an assessment. A translator was hired to schedule and conduct the assessment with the residents. During the assessment fixtures were replaced, and leaks were identified. Of the units assessed, 30% had a leak. The majority of leaks were in the bathroom. Anecdotally, many residents were interested in submetering to better understand their use and be charged individually. Leak resolution and direct installation of equipment was estimated to save over 2 million gallons of water. The program cost roughly $16,000 to administer.

Explore Other Case Studies

• Greywater Systems | Colorado