News Update
SJRWMD, OC Utilities partner on water conservation program
Staff report
Enviro-Net
The St. Johns River Water Management District is partnering with Orange County Utilities on a project that could realize significant water savings for residential utility customers.
The project promotes water conservation that saves groundwater for a more resilient water supply . It uses a software called WaterSmart to reduce drinkable water consumption across 30,000 households by 4.9 percent, a potential savings of 0.37 million gallons of water a day.
WaterSmart utilizes social norms in conjunction with comprehensive data analytics and targeted messaging to modify water use behavior. Residents receive mobile, print and email reports, which outline each home's water use in relation to homes of similar size and characteristics.
Orange County Utilities was selected for the 12-month program as part of the district’s cost-share program, which assists in funding projects related to enhancing water conservation efforts as well as developing sustainable water resources and providing flood protection.
The district contributed $112,334 toward the project as part of its cooperative cost-share program.