Proposed Water Conservation Goal
Keep consumption below 154 gallons per day per single-family residential account
Our proposed goal is to keep average daily water use below 154 gallons per single-family household. This goal is based on careful projections of future water demand, considering growth in our community and past water use patterns, and aligns with our updated Water System Plan (currently in development). We believe this target is achievable and responsible, reflecting a balance between encouraging conservation and meeting the needs of our growing community.
The table below provides a look at past water use in single-family homes (2018-2022), which gives some context for our proposed goal.
| Single Family Residential Consumption Rates - 2018-2022 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Number of SFR Accounts | Total consumption in gallons | Average annual consumption in gallons | Average consumption per month in gallons | Average consumption per day in gallons |
| 2018 | 21,648 | 1,226,427,532 | 56,653 | 4,721 | 155 |
| 2019 | 21,964 | 1,185,598,700 | 53,979 | 4,498 | 148 |
| 2020 | 21,983 | 1,232,414,524 | 56,062 | 4,672 | 154 |
| 2021 | 22,102 | 1,241,992,664 | 56,194 | 4,683 | 154 |
| 2022 | 22,269 | 1,234,466,288 | 55,434 | 4,620 | 152 |
To put our proposed goal in perspective, consider this: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average American uses 82 gallons of water per day at home. Since the U.S. Census estimates that Bellingham has an average of 2.1 people per household, that translates to roughly 172 gallons per household per day.
