AWWA ACE65195

The key drivers for this project with the San Francisco Public Utility Commission (SFPUC) included: pursue a proactive approach in reducing water losses; evaluate potential for economic reduction of water losses; include findings in water conservation portfolio; be a national leader in water loss management and water conservation; benefits of an independent audit; and, learn the new standardized AWWA/IWA water balance methodology. The project scope included: detailed "top-down" annual water balance; verification of system input volumes; identify, standardize and confirm consumption volumes; analysis of customer meter accuracy; identify volumes of apparent and real losses; assessment of various unmeasured uses; calculate confidence limits for each component of the water balance; determination of performance indicators; component analysis of real and apparent losses; and, assess economic optimum of real losses. Water audit and related analysis have proven that SFPUC is very effective in: managing its county line meters; managing billing database; managing apparent losses; and, managing real losses through its reactive leakage control policy. Further findings included: reduction of real losses is cheapest source for new water resources; active management of real losses is an economic and beneficial component of SFPUC's water conservation portfolio; SFPUC can prove to do everything economically feasible to optimize the use of water resources; optimum management of real losses will help to maintain or improve level of service to customers; and, applying best management practice in water loss control reduces liability to water supplier. Includes tables, figures.