Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona
Water CASA Engaged in the Dual Metering Program
Through the generosity of the US Bureau of Reclamation, the Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona (Water CASA) is implementing the first of three phases of a dual metering project to measure indoor and outdoor water use separately in single family residences. Water CASA’s Flowing Wells Irrigation District will provide, over the course of 20 years, information about actual water use by season and through time as landscapes and families mature. The goal of the project is to enable Water CASA to develop water conservation programs that produce the greatest water savings with the most efficient use of scarce human and fiscal resources.
Thirty-two homes in the first phase study area, Sagewood development, were supplied with two separate meters which are keeping track of indoor and outdoor water use. These meters have been monitored monthly for the past six years by Flowing Wells Irrigation District, water provider for the subdivision and founding member of Water CASA. Data will continue to be gathered from the meters for the next fourteen years. The data is being stored and analyzed by Water CASA and, in the future, various water conservation programs will be piloted with a control group of these families having these separately metered houses.
Now in its seventh study year, early data show that 77% of water in the Sagewood development is used indoors while outdoor use accounts for 23% of total use. The average indoor use per person per day is 57.8 gallons. Average outdoor use per person per day is 17.5 gallons for a total of 75.2 gallons of water used per person per day in the first phase study area.
The second phase of this project will occur in a high end development project in the Town of Marana. The third and final installation is planned for the service area of Metro Water.
Click to view full article.