Use and Effectiveness of Municipal Irrigation Restrictions During Drought

The Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) Outdoor Water Savings Research Initiative kicked off in 2015 and includes a research review on outdoor water programs, the Peak Day Water Demand Management Study, the Landscape Transformation Study, and the Sustainable Landscapes: A Utility Program Guide. 

In January 2020, AWE released its study, Use and Effectiveness of Municipal Irrigation Restrictions During Drought.

“The results confirm the effectiveness and importance of irrigation restrictions during a drought,” said Mary Ann Dickinson, President and CEO of the Alliance for Water Efficiency. “The research shows that when necessary and with proper implementation, substantial demand reductions can be achieved by communities working together during a drought.”

The report explores the following questions:

1. What demand reductions can be achieved through different levels of mandatory and voluntary restrictions?
2. How do messaging and enforcement programs influence effectiveness of restrictions?
3. During times of drought, what can water suppliers do to maximize effectiveness of outdoor restrictions?
4. What is the longevity of demand reductions after the end of a drought?
5. What are the different forms of mandatory and voluntary irrigation restrictions typically implemented by North American water providers?

“There are many substantive findings in this report that water utilities will want to learn,” said Dickinson. “This is the largest study to date of municipal drought response in America in terms of scope and breadth.”

Learn more and download the Executive Summary.

While the Executive Summary is available to the public, AWE members have access to the full report. Click here for the request form.