Insights into declining single‐family residential water demands

Water use, especially indoor use, in single‐family residences has declined since 1995 and is expected to continue to do so as new technologies enter the market. This conclusion is unavoidable when empirical data from residential end use studies dating back to 1995 are compared. Furthermore, the observed declines in indoor use are not related to economic conditions—the bulk of the data used for the analysis were taken before the 2008 recession. This article presents key data and findings from a 16‐year data collection effort and closely examines changes in water use over that time as well as the potential for additional residential demand reductions in the future. The demand data presented here show patterns in single‐family indoor and outdoor demands and provide a basis for future water supply planning and conservation program design.