Advancing Water Loss Control Across the NWPA Region

Adopted this past spring, the Northwest Water Planning Alliance (NWPA) Water Supply Sustainability Plan (WSSP) outlines strategies to address water supply challenges. One strategy emphasized in the WSSP is water loss control, which can be used to extend water supplies, lower costs, and improve system reliability. The plan urges communities to strengthen water loss control through voluntary measures such as regular water audits, loss prevention programs, and leak detection.

Why It Matters
According to Bluefield Research, an estimated one in five gallons of treated water is lost before reaching water customers. Within the Northwest Water Planning Alliance (NWPA) region, this equates to roughly 26 million gallons per day. These losses represent not only wasted water but also reduced utility revenue. Addressing water loss is a foundational practice that improves system performance and helps utilities make the most of existing supplies before investing in costly new water supply sources. This is particularly critical as many communities in the NWPA region face rising demand and growing stress on groundwater aquifers. Reducing water loss will help close the region’s supply–demand gap and support long-term groundwater sustainability.

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