How does it work?
Aurora Water Conservation estimates your property’s efficient water needs each billing cycle. The efficient amount of water is referred to as your Recommended Water Use (RWU). This estimate is based on the following:
1. Number of people in a household. This is provided by you in a sign up survey and can change from month to month. If you do not provide this information, Aurora’s average of three residents per home will be used.
2. Weather. This data comes from Aurora Water’s network of weather stations throughout the city.
3. Square footage of landscaped areas on the property. Aurora Water Conservation uses aerial images of your home to measure the existing landscape.
How is the Recommended Water Use (RWU) calculated?
Indoor RWU – Aurora Water has determined efficient indoor usage to be 1,250 gallons per person per month. That equals 41 gallons per person per day. The calculation works as follows: # of residents X # of days in the billing period X 41 gallons.
Outdoor RWU – Weather data allows Aurora Water to estimate how much water different plant types (turf grass and water-wise landscape) need each day to stay healthy. Those daily needs are totaled for your billing period and multiplied by the total area of each plant type in your landscape.
Why can I only see my actual water use in 1,000 gallon increments?
Our current metering system is limited to reporting usage in 1,000 gal (or kgal) increments. Since this is what you see on your bill, Know Your Flow reports reflect that to avoid any confusion.
Why does my Actual Use show a dash (-)?
The dash indicates that your Actual Use was not available for the month of interest (e.g. you recently moved into your home).
Why does my RWU show a dash (-) or a “0”?
We could not generate a RWU as a result of one of the following conditions:
• Based on your survey responses, you indicated there are no people living in the home during the month of interest. If this is the case, we assumed no water use for that month. If you still have water use occurring without anyone living there and do not know what could be using water, we recommend getting an indoor water assessment to investigate potential leaks. You can request an indoor water assessment online here.
• Your Actual Use was not available (e.g. you recently moved into your home) and as a result, there was no water use attributed to you. For that reason, we did not generate a RWU or compare actual water use to a RWU.
What do I do if my “Number of People” value is incorrect?
You may contact Aurora Water Conservation by calling 303.739.7195 or emailing water conservation to change the number of residents in your household. An accurate number of residents results in a more accurate indoor RWU.
How did you get 41 gallons per person per day for the indoor RWU calculations?
Aurora Water has determined efficient indoor usage to be 1,250 gallons per person per month. Multiplying that by 12 (months in the year) and dividing by 365 (days in the year) leaves 41 gallons per person per day.
What do I do if my landscape square footage is incorrect?
You may contact Aurora Water Conservation by calling 303.739.7195 or emailing water conservation to request an alteration to your property's square footage. Accurate landscape values result in a more accurate outdoor RWU.
Why is there a dash (-) through my square footage estimates?
We have not generated square footage estimates as a result of one of the following conditions:
• We do not have aerial imagery for your property.
• Your property was very newly developed.
• We are in the process of resolving technical issues.
If you see a dash through your square footage estimates, it is possible that we will be in touch to set up a landscape assessment.
What counts as cool season turf?
Cool-season turf is any type of grass that thrives during cooler, wetter periods of the year. They require more water to withstand prolonged hot and dry weather. Typical examples of this grass are Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and fine fescue.
What types of plants count as water-wise landscaping?
Anything that is not a cool season turf is considered a water-wise landscape. Examples include bushes, perennial flowerbeds, native or warm season grasses, bunch/ornamental grasses, trees not planted in turf, annuals, vegetable gardens, ground covers etc.
What type of vegetation are annuals/vegetable gardens considered?
We consider these water-wise vegetation. Though they may need regular watering, they do not cover the ground as completely as turf and require less water per square foot as a result.
What if I think my actual water use is much higher than expected?
The best place to start is to request a free indoor or outdoor water assessment online here from Aurora Water Conservation.
You can also check out Aurora Water’s conservation web page for tips and other resources to help you save water. If you would like immediate assistance, you can email water conservation [email protected] or call us at 303.739.7195.