Water suppliers in the Central Puget Sound area are committed to environmental protection, salmon recovery and water conservation. Over the years they have demonstrated this commitment through a variety of actions and projects. All municipal water utilities are required to implement appropriate conservation programs. The Department of Health has established the conservation water use efficiency standards.
Water Conservation
The Region's water utilities have been committed to water conservation for more thant two decades. Since the 1980s, several large water utilities have implemented conservation programs as a way to stretch existing water supplies and to defer system expansions required to serve new customers. As a result public attitudes have changed regarding water use and conservation. The conservation efforts have resulted in a significant decrease in water demands in the region since 1990. The reduction in municipal water use over time is illustrated by the fact that wholesale and retail systems served by Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett each use less water today than they did 40 years ago despite significant population growth.
Trends in Water Use
Available data indicates that the average single-family household water use has decreased from 276 gallons per day in 1990 to 197 gallons per day in 2005 - almost a 30 percent decrease in consumption. This water use efficiency trend was also observed in multifamily and non-residential water use, and in overall per capita water use. The reasons for this downward trend in water consumption include utility conservation programs and plumbing code changes, as well as reductions in water use by the region's industries.
Many utilities within the region have published conservation related materials online. The links below provide access to the conservation related information available from specific systems and groups of utilities.
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Seattle Public Utilities |
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In addition, Seattle has completed several studies on the Conservation Potential for its water system. While specific to Seattle and its wholesale customers, the information has relevancy to other regional water users.
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Additional information on water Conservation is available from the following:
The Environmental Protection Agency provides a broad range of water conservation materials and resources on through its Water Sense website. In addition, the EPA provides information on Things That You Can Do to save water. |
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In Washington State, both the Department of Ecology and the Department of Health provide information and resources on water conservation.
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The Partnership for Water Conservation is a nonprofit organization formed through a unique public-private collaboration between concerned citizens, water utilities, businesses and environmental interests. The Partnership maintains a website with useful information on regional conservation issues and resources. |
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