Water Conservation Measures Checklist

Property-level water conservation program a property manager runs across a multifamily or SFR portfolio to cut consumption, find leaks, and document savings for ownership. Covers fixture audit and retrofit, irrigation, leak detection, ap...

Use this workflow
1

Baseline Audit and Inventory

  1. Pull 12 months of utility water bills

    • Download the prior 12 months of meter reads and dollar charges from the water utility portal. Note any month with a step-change in consumption — that's your most likely leak window. Save the export to the property's sustainability folder.

  2. Inventory plumbing fixtures by unit type

    • Walk one of each unit type and record toilet GPF (stamped on the bowl rim), showerhead GPM, and faucet aerator rating. Pre-1994 toilets are 3.5+ GPF — those are your highest-ROI replacements. Capture the inventory as a spreadsheet or photo log.

    Collects file
  3. Identify the irrigation system type

    • Walk the grounds and the irrigation controller. Spray-head systems waste 30-50% to evaporation and overspray; drip systems are already efficient. Properties with no irrigation skip the conversion section entirely.

    Collects list
2

Plumbing Fixture Retrofit

  1. Replace toilets with WaterSense 1.28 GPF models

    • Specify WaterSense-labeled HET (high-efficiency toilet) units. Many municipal utilities — LADWP, SFPUC, NYC DEP, Austin Water — offer $50-200 per-unit rebates; submit the rebate application before installation, not after.

  2. Install 1.5 GPM showerheads in all units

    • Standard pre-1994 showerheads run 4-5 GPM; current code is 2.5 GPM; WaterSense models are 1.5-2.0 GPM. Coordinate access via 24-48 hour notice per state landlord-tenant entry rules — do not let a maintenance tech show up unannounced.

  3. Install 1.0 GPM aerators on bath faucets

    • Bath faucets get 1.0 GPM aerators; kitchen faucets stay at 1.5-2.2 GPM (residents need flow for filling pots). Check thread compatibility — most are 15/16-inch male or 55/64-inch female.

  4. Verify post-retrofit pressure on each fixture

    • Run each retrofitted shower and sink for 30 seconds. Tenant complaints about weak pressure are the #1 reason retrofits get reversed. Document any units that need a higher-flow showerhead swap.

    Collects list
3

Irrigation and Landscaping

  1. Convert spray heads to drip irrigation

    • Replace spray heads on shrub and planter zones with inline drip; keep rotors only on turf zones that remain. Many western utilities (MWD, Denver Water, SNWA) pay $1-3 per square foot of converted area — apply for the rebate before the work begins.

  2. Install a smart controller with rain sensor

    • Replace clock-based controllers with a WaterSense-labeled smart controller (Rachio, Hunter Hydrawise, Rain Bird ESP-TM2 with WiFi). Connect to local ET data and add a rain sensor or freeze sensor — these are required for WaterSense certification.

  3. Replace turf with drought-tolerant plantings

    • Target high-visibility, low-traffic turf strips first — parkways, traffic islands, and dog-run perimeters. Choose climate-appropriate natives; for the southwest, manzanita, salvia, and deer grass; for the southeast, muhly grass and beautyberry.

  4. Apply mulch to all planting beds

    • Three inches of organic mulch (bark, wood chip) cuts soil evaporation by 25-50% and suppresses weeds. Keep mulch 3 inches off plant stems to prevent rot and rodent harborage.

4

Leak Detection and Repair

  1. Run dye tablet test on every toilet

    • Drop a dye tablet in the tank and wait 10 minutes without flushing. Any color in the bowl indicates a flapper leak — silent toilet leaks are commonly the largest single source of unexplained consumption (200+ gallons/day per leaky toilet).

  2. Read the master meter overnight

    • Read the master meter at 11pm and again at 5am with no scheduled irrigation. Any movement during low-occupancy hours indicates a continuous leak somewhere on the property — irrigation valve, slab leak, or running fixture.

  3. Document leaks found

    • Log every leak found by unit number, location, fixture type, and severity. Triage emergency leaks (active flooding, ceiling drips) for same-day dispatch; queue minor leaks (slow flapper, dripping aerator) for the standard work-order cycle.

    Collects list
  4. Dispatch plumber to repair flagged leaks

    • Confirm the plumber's COI is current and names the property as additional insured before issuing the work order. Use 1.6 GPF or 1.28 GPF replacement flappers for HET toilets — generic flappers often defeat the low-flow design.

5

Water Heater and Appliance Upgrades

  1. Insulate hot water lines in mechanical rooms

    • Wrap exposed hot water supply lines with foam pipe insulation rated for the line diameter. Reduces standing-water waste while residents wait for hot water at the tap and cuts heat loss off the recirc loop.

  2. Service common-area water heaters and boilers

    • Flush the tank, inspect the anode rod, and verify the recirc pump timer matches actual occupancy (24/7 recirc on a low-occupancy stack wastes both water and gas). Set the temperature to 120°F per most state codes.

  3. Replace common-area laundry with ENERGY STAR machines

    • ENERGY STAR commercial laundry uses 33% less water than standard commercial models. Coordinate with the laundry vendor (CSC ServiceWorks, WASH Multifamily) since most common-area machines are leased — the swap may be free under a refresh clause.

6

Tenant Engagement and Reporting

  1. Distribute the water conservation tenant flyer

    • Post in mailroom, elevator lobbies, and the resident portal. Cover the practical asks: report drips fast, run full dishwasher and laundry loads only, don't use the toilet as a wastebasket. Include the leak-report contact and after-hours number.

  2. Set up the resident leak-report channel

    • Configure a dedicated work-order category in AppFolio, Buildium, or Yardi for leak reports so they auto-route to maintenance with priority flag. A clean intake channel is what separates a 24-hour repair from a three-week ceiling collapse.

  3. Report savings to ownership

    • Compare 30-day post-retrofit consumption against the prior 12-month baseline pulled in step one. Include rebate dollars captured, payback period on retrofit capex, and a recommendation on whether to push the same program to other properties in the portfolio.

    Collects number Collects file Collects paragraph