How can water utilities help customers use less water?

Downstream efficiency is just as critical as managing leaks or protecting sources. Even the most resilient upstream and midstream systems can’t offset the strain caused by growing demand. Climate change, urban expansion and higher energy costs are pushing utilities to look beyond the pipeline: to the customer.

In this final blog in our “From source to tap" series, Business Development Director for water Martin Duff looks downstream at how utilities can reduce overall water demand through smart metering, data-driven management and customer engagement, covering:

Why is water treatment so costly for utilities?

The financial and environmental cost of water treatment is increasing. Desalination, which removes salt from seawater through high-pressure reverse osmosis, consumes large amounts of energy. In addition to power costs, utilities must manage chemicals, membrane cleaning, and brine disposal.1 River abstraction and ultraviolet (UV) treatment also carry significant operational costs.

As a result, the cheapest liter of water is the one never used. By reducing consumption, utilities can limit the volume that needs to be treated and pumped, cutting both carbon emissions and expenditure.

How do smart meters help reduce water use?

Smart metering has become one of the most effective tools for managing customer demand. These systems provide near real-time consumption data, helping both utilities and consumers understand usage patterns.

For utilities, smart meters:

  • Enable accurate billing and reduce manual reading costs
  • Identify abnormal consumption that may signal leaks or bursts
  • Support conservation programs with reliable baseline data

For customers, they encourage behavioral change. Seeing daily or hourly consumption data helps people visualize their water use and adjust habits to save more. The result is a shared awareness of efficiency between utilities and their users.

What role does education play in water conservation?

Technology is only part of the solution. Public education programs are essential for long-term conservation. When the city of Albuquerque launched a water conservation initiative in 1995, combining education and financial incentives, per capita water use dropped by 50% between 1994 and 2017.2

Programs like these show that awareness and transparency are powerful motivators. When customers understand how their actions affect supply and cost, participation increases and utilities can achieve measurable results without major infrastructure investment.

Why downstream efficiency completes the whole-network approach

Reducing water demand closes the loop on the source-to-tap strategy. Lower consumption relieves pressure on upstream sources and minimizes the amount of water lost midstream through leakage or theft.

Atmos supports utilities in developing holistic solutions, combining accurate monitoring, smart detection and informed consumption. Together, these measures improve resilience, reduce waste and make every drop count.

Summary of the source-to-tap journey

This series has explored the full water cycle:

  • Upstream: protecting water at its source
  • Midstream: keeping water in the network
  • Downstream: reducing water demand

Each stage depends on the others. Building a climate-resilient future requires action across the whole network: one connected system, working together from source to tap.

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 References

1 https://sevenseaswater.com/is-desalination-expensive/

2 https://www.abcwua.org/wp-content/uploads/Conservation_Rebates/2037_Water_Conservation_Plan.pdf