Rupiper, Amanda, Joakim Weill, Ellen M. Bruno, Katrina Jessoe and Frank Loge

from ARE Update Vol. 25, No. 4, Mar/Apr, 2022

View Article PDF: Could Fixing Leaky Pipes Help Solve California’s Water Problems?

Abstract

Water utilities in the United States lose approximately 17% of their delivered water to leaks each year. California’s Senate Bill 555 aims to reduce these water leaks through the imposition of utility-specific water standards. For the average utility, we find it is cost-effective to reduce water losses by 34.7%. While this reduction only translates to about 100 acre-feet per year for the average utility, it is low-hanging fruit.

Keywords

water loss control, leak management, urban water, water loss standards, optimal leak reduction

Citation

Rupiper, Amanda, Joakim Weill, Ellen M. Bruno, Katrina Jessoe and Frank Loge. 2022. "Could Fixing Leaky Pipes Help Solve California’s Water Problems?" ARE Update 25(4): 1-4. University of California Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics.
https://giannini.ucop.edu/filer/file/1650925435/20369/