Oakland, CA, USA, Oct. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Pacific Institute, a US-based nonpartisan water think tank, today released the first-of-its-kind study “Untapped Potential: An Assessment of Municipal and Industrial Water Efficiency Potential in the United States.”
Total water use in U.S. homes, businesses, institutions, and water distribution systems could be reduced by 25% to 60%, according to a new first-of-its-kind assessment from the Pacific Institute. The study finds that even basic upgrades to meet existing national standards and reducing excessive water use could cut municipal and industrial water use by one-quarter nationwide. The most ambitious efforts, adopting technologies and strategies available today, could reduce water use by up to 60%, equal to levels last seen in the 1960s. In addition to these national findings, the study provides state-level estimates, offering decision-makers insights into local water savings opportunities.
Key Findings
- Existing technologies and practices could save 14.0 to 34.1 million acre-feet per year, equivalent to 12.5 to 30.4 billion gallons each day. This represents a 25% to 60% reduction in municipal and industrial water use.
- Households offer major water savings potential both indoors and outdoors, while businesses and institutions present smaller yet still significant savings opportunities. Fixing leaks in water delivery systems represents a large and cost-effective, but underfunded, opportunity.
- Water efficiency saves water and energy, cuts utility costs, and protects the environment, but it is often overlooked in water supply planning and underfunded compared to new supply projects.
“Improving efficiency is one of the cheapest and fastest ways to augment and diversify water supplies and strengthen resilience for future generations,” said Dr. Bruk Berhanu, senior researcher at the Pacific Institute and lead author of the report. “By doing more with less, water efficiency can help lower water bills, sustain communities when supplies are constrained, and support economic development.”
Water efficiency measures, by definition, reduce water use without affecting the services and benefits water provides. These measures include replacing old, inefficient toilets, showerheads, and clothes washers with high-efficiency models; installing region-appropriate landscaping; improving irrigation efficiency; and repairing leaks in water delivery systems. Water conservation and efficiency are practical tools for sustaining communities, supporting long-term water resilience.
The benefits extend beyond water savings. Efficiency reduces energy use, water and wastewater treatment costs, and can defer or eliminate the need for costly new infrastructure. It also supports affordability by helping to mitigate rising water and wastewater bills, particularly for lower-income households, and strengthens environmental resilience by protecting rivers, wetlands, and groundwater systems stressed by overuse.
The study also highlights innovative examples, such as designing homes with right-sized plumbing and compact hot water systems, promoting WaterSense® labeled homes that combine multiple efficiency measures, and proactively managing leaks across water distribution systems. These strategies show how communities can build upon foundational efficiency efforts to achieve greater water savings, operational benefits, and customer satisfaction.
Finally, the study calls for elevating water efficiency as a central element of water management and recommends increasing investment in efficiency programs and incentives; strengthening regulations for fixtures, landscapes, and buildings; expanding education and outreach; and integrating efficiency savings into infrastructure and financial planning.
The report is part of the Pacific Institute’s ongoing research advancing water efficiency and reuse strategies to build water resilience in the United States and globally. It follows the Pacific Institute’s 2024 groundbreaking report, “Untapped Potential: An Assessment of Urban Stormwater Runoff in the United States,” and precedes an upcoming study on the national potential for municipal water reuse.
The Pacific Institute will host a webinar to discuss the study on December 4, 2025. Register here.
---XXX---
Founded in 1987, the Pacific Institute is a global water think tank that combines evidence-based thought leadership with active outreach to influence local, national, and international efforts in developing sustainable water policies. From working with Fortune 500 companies to frontline communities, our mission is to create and advance solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges. Since 2009, the Pacific Institute has also acted as co-secretariat for the CEO Water Mandate, a global commitment platform that mobilizes a critical mass of business leaders to address global water challenges through corporate water stewardship. For more information, visit pacinst.org.
Pacific Institute media@pacinst.org
