Smart Water Monitoring: Aurora’s High-Tech Approach to Water Conservation
In the early hours when most are still asleep, Tim York is tracking Aurora’s water usage with precision. Although he doesn’t witness these events firsthand, his tools reveal a clear picture of the city’s water consumption habits.
York, who heads Aurora’s water conservation efforts, utilizes a sophisticated computer program to monitor water use. “We look at about 2.2 million data points for each individual day, so we’re looking at hourly water use data, and we built some scripts that run against that data on a weekly basis to say, ‘Was somebody irrigating when they’re not supposed to be?,'” York explained from his office at the water operations facility.
This advanced surveillance system is made possible by smart water meters, installed last year, which send data every 15 minutes via cellular signals. York’s team receives weekly spreadsheets identifying potential watering violations, which are then verified by human inspectors before issuing warnings or fines.
“If they say ‘there’s no way I irrigated,’ it’s like, well, this is what (the data) shows, and then they usually agree,” York said, emphasizing the necessity due to the city’s dwindling water supply. Currently, Aurora’s water supply is only about half full and decreasing, prompting mandatory restrictions that limit outdoor watering to two days a week. Thanks to this system, outdoor water usage has decreased by 20%.
As a result, warnings for overwatering have more than doubled, and fines have significantly increased. The situation is not unique to Aurora, as millions across Colorado face strict water restrictions due to prolonged drought conditions.
Mehdi Nemati, an environmental economic policy professor at the University of California Riverside, notes that mandatory restrictions like Aurora’s can be “highly effective” in curbing outdoor water use. Studies analyzed by Nemati indicate that such restrictions have reduced water usage by around 12% in the West.
“If it’s voluntary versus mandatory, mandatory ones are effective mostly,” Nemati stated. “Voluntary ones we don’t find really (have) much effect.”
In nearby Denver, residents are also experiencing mandatory outdoor water restrictions for the first time in over a decade. Denver’s enforcement strategy relies more on human observation than technology.
Greg Fisher, Denver Water’s demand planning manager, shared the challenge of maintaining public cooperation: “Drought tends to be this slow-moving emergency, and we have to ask our customers to stick with us for months and months, literally.”
For those who don’t comply, a new tipline allows neighbors to report water wastage, with over 2,200 complaints filed since its inception.
York, back in Aurora, underscores the importance of compliance: “We did this little run of data, and this was through June 2, and what it showed was that those who were watering three or four days per week use 41% more outdoor water than those watering two days per week or less,” he said.
Despite technological advancements, Aurora’s water future largely depends on weather patterns, as monsoons could improve the supply while persistent droughts could necessitate even stricter measures.
This story is part of ongoing coverage of the Colorado River, produced by KUNC in Colorado and supported by the Walton Family Foundation. KUNC is solely responsible for its editorial coverage.
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