How low can it go? Patterns and predictions for residential water demand in Arizona

Gary Woodard will be speaking at AZ Water’s 88th annual conference and exhibition, which will be held from May 6–8 at the Renaissance Glendale Hotel.

His talk, “How Low Can it Go? Patterns and Predictions for Residential Water Demand,” recaps some of his recent work as a senior water policy and economics consultant at M&A. He will discuss the negative consequences of declining per-household municipal water demand, which include unnecessary system capacity, “older” water that requires more disinfectant and DBPs, and serious financial problems. Water users and regulators in Maricopa and Pima counties supported M&A’s research on the causes of this declining trend — which translates to an annual drop in per-household demand of more than 2 percent between 2000 and 2013 across Maricopa and Pima counties.

This trend is expected to extend through 2020, as we continue to replace appliances, fixtures, and landscape plants with new, more water-efficient ones; construct new, more water-efficient homes; and participate in water conservation programs offered by municipal providers.

Gary’s talk will kick off the program for Friday, May 8, from 8:00 – 8:30 AM.

Founded in 1928, AZ Water is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization with a membership of 2,700 water / wastewater professionals. It is dedicated to preserving and enhancing Arizona’s water environment.