UC Riverside-led study has found that a smartphone app that tracks household water use and alerts users to leaks or excessive consumption offers a promising tool for helping California water agencies meet state-mandated conservation goals. Led by Mehdi Nemati, an assistant professor of public policy at UCR, the study found that use of the app—called Dropcountr—reduced average household water use by 6%, with even greater savings among the highest water users. Dropcountr works by interpreting water-use data from smart water meters, which many utilities originally installed for remote reading to streamline billing. The app turns data from these meters into real-time feedback for consumers, showing how much water they use, how their usage compares to similar households, and how it has changed over time. 

Other water use news:

• The Orange County Register: Opinion: Your water use is way up, even though Southern California is dry