Characterizing Residential Water Use in College Station and Assessing the Effectiveness of Educational Programs to Reduce Outdoor Water Use

Abstract

Texas voters and the legislature have made water conservation an important requirement for cities. Landscape irrigation is the largest component of Texas single family residential (SFR) water use and is a prime subject area for conservation efforts. Conservation strategies may include water pricing, incentive programs, regulatory restrictions, and education interventions. The objective of this research was to characterize residential water use in College Station and to evaluate the conservation efficacy of three educational interventions to reduce outdoor water use; water budgets, irrigation check-ups, and the weekly watering program. Monthly water use for participants in each intervention provides the basis for analysis. Descriptive and correlational statistics were used to determine significant differences in water use after the interventions. Significand outdoor reductions were observed in 27% of the users participating in these interventions, total water savings for these users is close to 3,000,000 gallons per month. Users, for future interventions, can be selected from the groups found in this research with the largest conservation potential. Excess volume and frequency of overwatering are the key to find such users. This project provides practical opportunities based on results and a methodology that can be applied in other cities to reduce water consumption and achieve a more efficient demand management.