Committee Report: Applying worldwide BMPs in water loss control

Despite growing pressures on water suppliers from drought, water shortages, and other challenges, the North American water industry has been slow to implement reliable and consistent water supply auditing and loss control. AWWA's Technical and Educational Council funded a survey that confirmed that US water loss reporting practices are limited and vary widely. In 2000, an International Water Association task force-with AWWA participation-assembled a water audit methodology as a best management practice (BMP) that is applicable to water suppliers worldwide, providing a framework to tabulate supplier water use and loss. Additionally, effective leakage management methods have been advanced with great success. This article advocates the use of the international water audit method and water and revenue loss control technologies that offer North American water utilities an outstanding water resource recovery opportunity and a great stride toward sustainability.