Lunch n Learn: Keep Austin Wired – How Data Saved Austin Water 41M Gallons

Deep in the heart of Texas lies the fourth fastest growing city in the U.S. Austin is home to country music, the state’s main public university and over a quarter million homes, each with a unique water usage footprint and pattern. Austin Water historically used paper bill announcements and door hangers to encourage water-conscious behavior and deliver key messages.

In the summer of 2015, Austin Water piloted Dropcountr, a cloud-based analytics and engagement platform for both utility staff and customers. Austin Water customers now had anytime access to their water data via native mobile (iOS and Android) apps and a web portal. Historical and current usage in gallons was compared to usage in similar nearby residences, and further contextualized with an efficiency-based budget - calculated by Dropcountr using unique indoor and outdoor characteristics of each account.

In the next year, pilot participants reduced their water usage by 9-17%, conserved over 41 million gallons of water, and Austin Water saved over $200,000 on paper outreach and engagement.

In this Lunch N Learn, Dropcountr’s Robb Barnitt will discuss results and lessons learned, as well as how to reach and engage customers regardless of demographic, and the changing face of utility-customer relationships.