Water usage in the U.S. tends to spike in the summer, with as much as 50% of this directed at lawn and garden irrigation. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a good portion of this potable water is wasted due to broken lines and leaks, raising water availability issues and concerns. An intervention focused on consumer education was tested by Texas A&M University researchers as a means of fostering utility as well as user water savings.

Statistical and machine learning tools were applied to water use data in the wake of educationalSource: Texas A&M University interventions implemented as a response to severe droughts impacting the College Station, Texas, region during 2008 to 2028. The landscape irrigation budget was calculated for 15,000 single-family residences to assess the extent to which educational water conservation interventions were effective in reducing water demand and waste.

Winter consumption, primarily associated with indoor use, did not vary significantly while summer consumption was observed to be largely influenced by weather. The water use data analyzed indicate that consumption patterns and trends were shaped by both the drought and the educational interventions. As noted in the Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, the interventions contributed to a reduction in water consumption despite an increase in the number of single-family residences.

The researchers also identified the largest water wasters that should be prioritized to enhance conservation and suggest that both mandatory and voluntary educational conservation programs be implemented to promote reductions in outdoor water use and waste.