Stepping Up Water Loss Control: Lessons from the State of Georgia

For any state or agency looking to increase adoption of the M36 water audit methodology, there are several key takeaways from Georgia’s new auditing requirements: State agencies and their partners should place emphasis on the value and usefulness of M36 for utilities. Beyond instituting any auditing requirement, states should highlight the benefits of this practice in helping utilities improve business operations. Data validation is paramount. Water loss audits and future planning must be based on accurate and reliable audit results in order to effectively improve water systems. Encourage strong relationships between state and local governments. It is critical for states to have a strong commitment to providing training resources and support to utilities as they adopt the M36 auditing method. Encourage public reporting. Sharing audit results improves transparency, accountability and understanding between a utility and its customers. Enthusiastic training sessions. The auditing process can be dull. It is important to provide engaging trainings that emphasize the benefits of adopting the M36 method.