The document summarizes a 6-month WaterSmart pilot program conducted by the City of Dallas Water Utilities. 10,000 single-family homes were randomly selected and divided into an experimental group that received monthly home water reports (5,000 homes), and a control group that received no information (5,000 homes). The pilot program found a 2.6% water savings in the experimental group compared to the control group. Lessons learned included improving customer data and software integration, and utilizing existing conservation programs. Overall, the pilot showed home water reports can increase water consumption awareness and lead to short-term water savings.

1. WaterSmart
Pilot
Program
(October
2014-­‐March
2015)
Malini
Banerjee,
Ph.D.
City
of
Dallas
|
Water
U<li<es

2. Outline
• Dallas
Water
U<li<es
Background
• WaterSmart
SoBware
– Selec6ng
Samples
– Home
Water
Reports
– Results
– Lessons
Learned
2

3. Dallas
Water
U<li<es
Background
• Popula6on
served
(2.5
Million)
– City
of
Dallas
-­‐
1.3
Million
– 27
Customer
Ci6es
-­‐
1.2
Million
• Conserva6on
Program
Chronology
– 2001
–
First
landscape
ordinance
– 2005
Water
Conserva6on
5
Year
Strategic
Plan
– 2007
Time
of
the
day
watering
restric6ons
– 2012
Twice
weekly
watering
restric6on
• Water
consump6on
change
since
2001:
– 170
BG
in
FY2000
– 136
BG
in
FY2015
3

4. WaterSmart
SoBware
Awarded
6
months
of
WaterSmart
soWware
as
a
part
of
Na6onal
Mayor’s
challenge
winnings
(courtesy:
Wyland
Founda6on
and
WaterSmart)
• Pilot
Program
October
2014
–
March
2015
• 5,000
home
water
reports
per
month
• Customer
service
training
• Help
with
technical
and
customer
support
during
the
pilot
phase
• End
of
pilot
study
report
4

5. Pilot
Study
Sample
Selec<on
• 5,000
single
family
residences
randomly
selected
as
Experimental
Group
– Received
one
welcome
le[er,
– water
consump6on
survey
– one
home
water
report
monthly
for
6
months
– end
of
pilot
survey
• 5,000
single
family
residences
selected
as
the
Control
Group
– Similar
in
water
consump6on
pa[ern
with
the
experimental
group
– did
not
received
any
home
water
report
or
other
outreach
materials
from
WaterSmart
5

6. 6
Sample
Home
Water
Report
Source:
Water
Score
Efficient
Homes,
Average
Homes
and
You
Average,
Efficient
and
Below
Average
City
Logo,
Address
Tips
for
saving
water
Trivia/Info

7. Online
Dashboard
for
Consumers
and
U<lity
7
Source:

8. Dashboard
Example
2
8
Source:

9. Web
U<lity
Dashboard
Func<ons
9
Water
Conserva<on
Staff
Dallas
Water
Customers
Update
customer
profile
Opt
out
a
customer
from
pilot
Leave
feedback
or
requests
to
opt
out
Check
Registra6on
Rates
Check
Past
Water
Consump6on
Pa[ern
for
each
customers
Check
Past
Water
Consump6on
Pa[ern
for
each
customers
Read
customer
feedback
Check
current
and
past
home
water
reports
Check
sugges6ons
and
6ps
provided
to
save
water
Keep
notes/maintain
log

10. Result
of
6
Month
Pilot
WaterSmart
• WaterSmart
reported
2.6%
water
savings
• City
of
Dallas
Water
Conserva6on
(around
2.5%
for
the
last
4
months
of
the
program)
• 5%
registra6on
rate
• 10-­‐12
customer
calls/emails
per
home
water
report
cycle
10

11. Lessons
Learned
• Make
sure
customer
calls
are
assigned
to
appropriate
staff
• Get
beVer
understanding
of
– the
customer
classifica6on
– cohort
grouping
– assump6ons
• SoBware
directly
aligned
with
SAP
if
possible
• Flexibility
with
graphics
on
home
water
report
• U<lize
exis<ng
conserva<on
audit
or
irriga<on
evalua<on
program
to
do
some
on-­‐site
analysis
11

12. Overall
Results
• An
innova&ve
method
to
increase
water
consump6on
awareness
among
customers
• Short
term
increase
in
water
savings
(based
on
6
month
pilot
study)
• Most
no6ceable
savings
among
high
water
users
12

13. 13
Malini
Banerjee,
Ph.D.
City of Dallas | Water Utilities
1500 Marilla - 2AN | Dallas, TX 75201 |
Office: 214.670.4022
malini.banerjee@dallascityhall.com