Washington State Water Use Efficiency:  WUE

NEW: Supreme Court Decides Fate of Municipal Water Law - Washington state Supreme Court decision of 10-28-10 affirms the constitutionality of the Municipal Water Law (MWL).

About WUE in the State of Washington:

Water is a precious, limited resource. In the Pacific Northwest, water for our growing population competes with other users that often depend on the same water source. Other uses can include agriculture, industry, recreation and maintaining an adequate streamflow for fish. Using water efficiently is particularly important during summer months when it rains less and user demand is high.

The Water Use Efficiency (WUE) program increases awareness about how the efficient use of water strengthens the relationship between the reliability and safety of our water supplies. Using water efficiently is a "proactive approach" to protecting public health.

Water systems can help prevent potential health risks to their customers by effectively planning and implementing WUE measures, which means fewer emergencies when water supplies are scarce. Our WUE program enhances our ability to accomplish our mission to ensure safe and reliable water.

When the Washington State Legislature passed the 2003 Municipal Water Law (MWL) to reform the state's water laws, it accomplished two things:

1. Added flexibility in the use of municipal water rights to serve growing communities and eliminated some of the risk of losing those municipal rights to the state.
2. In exchange for this water right flexibility, the law requires municipalities to use water efficiently and required the Department of Health to adopt a Water Use Efficiency Rule.

What are the Requirements?

Washington State has one of the most comprehensive regulatory WUE programs in the nation by requiring municipal water suppliers to demonstrate their efficient use of water. Specifically, municipal water suppliers must:

• Publicly establish water saving goals specifically directed towards their customers.
• Evaluate or implement specific water saving measures to achieve customer goals.
• Develop a WUE planning program to support the established goals.
• Install meters on all customer connections by January 22, 2017.
• Meet a 10 percent water loss standard.
• Report annually on progress towards achieving goals and water loss.

What is the Purpose of the Water Use Efficiency Rule?

Water systems must have a reliable supply of water to meet current and future needs. Using water efficiently helps water systems protect against:

• Temporary water service interruptions during peak usage.
• Long-term or repeated water disruptions due to limited water supply.
• Contamination of the water supply due to leaky pipes.

The WUE requirements also achieve the following:

• Contribute to long-term water supply reliability.
• Promote good stewardship of the state's water resources.
• Ensure efficient operation and management of water systems.
• Reduce energy needs and save money.

Who is Affected by the Water Use Efficiency Rule?

Any Group A community water system that serves at least 15 residential service connections.

WUE Resources

• Water Conservation for Small and Medium-Sized Utilities