Water Loss Dashboard

Water Loss Key Performance Indicators

This interactive dashboard displays key performance indicators for water loss, real loss, and apparent loss using historical data from water loss audits submitted by public water systems across Texas. TWDB staff review, conduct quality-control, and remove data issues from submitted water loss audits.

To view the interactive data: This dashboard includes two tabs: Water Loss Balance and Water Loss by Type. The default setting for the Water Loss Balance Tab shows key performance indicators for the 2023 audit year, while the Water Loss by Type Tab shows indicators for all audit years. To filter by audit year, system, population size, region, and/or county, select each category as needed on each tab. To make more than one selection for each of system, population size, region and/or county respectively, hold down the control key while making multiple selections. Use the Clear Filters Button at the top right to reset all filters to their default values.

Data source	Data	As of date
TWDB Water Loss Audit Data	Historical Water Loss Audit Data (excel)	March 2025
TWDB Historical Water Loss Audit Static Reports	Historical Water Loss Audit Data	NA

Water Loss Mitigation Measures Implemented or Planned

This interactive dashboard displays measures taken and/or planned by public water systems. The data is collected as a condition of a financial obligation (waivers) or during water loss audit validations. Measures have been condensed into keywords. For details on measures, see individual final validation summary reports on the Water Loss Audit Validations Dashboard.

To view the interactive data: The default setting for the Water Loss Mitigation Measures Dashboard shows mitigation measures for all years. To filter by year of data collection, population size, system, region, county and/or measure type, select each category as needed. To make more than one choice for any of the filters, hold down the control key while making multiple selections. Use the Clear Filters Button at the top right to reset all filters to their default values.

Data source name	Data source link	As of date
Mitigation Measure Types Keywords	Mitigation Measure Types Keywords (excel)	NA
Mitigation Measures Data	Mitigation Measures Data (excel)	March 2025

Water Loss Technical Assistance Provided to Public Water Systems

This interactive dashboard displays general and enchanced technical assistance in water loss provided by TWDB or TWDB's Contractors to public water systems across Texas. The data comes from TWDB's technical assistance database, Conservation Literature Technical Assistance (CLTA). Technical assistance types are condensed into keywords.

To view the interactive data: The default setting for the Technical Assistance Dashboard shows technical assistance provided for all years. To filter by year of assistance, system, population size, region, county, provider, and/or assistance type, select each category as needed. To make more than one choice for any of the filters, hold down the control key while making multiple selections. Use the Clear Filters Button at the top right to reset all filters to their default values.

Data source name	Data source link	As of date
TWDB Water Loss Audit Data	Historical Water Loss Audit Data (excel)	March 2025
Water Loss Audit Validation Webpage	Water Loss Audit Validation	NA
TWDB Technical Assistance Provided	Technical Assistance Provided (excel)	March 2025

Water Loss Audit Validations

This interactive dashboard displays water loss audit validations conducted by TWDB for public water systems across Texas. Water loss audit validation is the process of examining water loss audit inputs to improve the water loss audit’s accuracy, and documents the uncertainty associated with the used data. The goals of the water loss audit validation are to identify and correct for errors and misapplication of methodology in the water loss audit data, and evaluate and communicate the inherited uncertainty in water loss audit data.

There are three levels of validation rigor, with the TWDB providing Level 1 validations where water loss audits are examined for inaccuracies evident in summary data and application of methodology.

To view the interactive data: The default setting for the Water Loss Audit Validations Dashboard shows water loss validations for all years. To filter by validation year, population size, system, region, county and/or validation status (includes the combination of meeting and report statuses), select each category as needed. For any conducted audit validation with Report Status marked "Complete", download the Summary Report by clicking the respective Public Water System name. To make more than one choice for any of the filters, hold down the control key while making multiple selections. Use the Clear Filters Button at the top right to reset all filters to their default values.

Data source name	Data source link	As of date
TWDB Water Loss Audit Data	Historical Water Loss Audit Data (excel)	March 2025
Water Loss Audit Validation Webpage	Water Loss Audit Validation	NA
TWDB Technical Assistance Provided	Technical Assistance Provided (excel)	March 2025

Water Loss Financial Assistance and Waivers Provided

This interactive dashboard displays active or completed financial assistance provided and water loss waivers granted by TWDB to public water systems from across Texas. This data comes from loans that are active or completed financial obligations provided by TWDB. An active financial obligation means they have received Board approval and have closed on the financial loan with the TWDB. If multiple water loss project types exist for a project, each will be listed on a separate line with the same Project ID.

To view the interactive data: This dashboard includes two tabs: Projects Funded and Waivers Granted. The default setting for both tabs is financial assistance provided and water loss waivers granted for all years. To filter by year of commitment, population size, system, region, county, project type and/or water loss exceeded status, select each category as needed. To make more than one choice for any of the filters, hold down the control key while making multiple selections. Use the Clear Filters Button at the top right to reset all filters to their default values.

Data source name	Data source link	As of date
Water Loss Project Type Keywords	Water Loss Project Type Keywords (excel)	NA
TWDB Water Loss Financial Assistance Data	Water Loss Financial Assistance (excel)	March 2025
WDB Financial Assistance Project Details Dashboard	Financial Assistance Project Details Dashboard	NA
Waivers Granted Data	Waivers Granted (excel)	March 2025

Definitions of Terms

General Terms:

• Population Group – One of four categories of retail public utility delineated by the retail population served, as outlined in Texas Water Code (TWC) §16.0121. Categories include: 100,000 or more, 50,000 or more but less than 100,000, more than 10,000 but less than 50,000, and 10,000 or less.
• Public Water System (PWS) – In the context of water loss audits, see Retail Public Utility below.
• PWS ID – A seven-digit identification for public water systems beginning with TX and the first 3 numbers denoting the county.
• Retail Public Utility – A water system that supplies water to be used for human consumption to retail customers, serves at least 15 service connections or serves at least 25 individuals, and compensation for water sold is primarily determined by metered water usage.
• Regional Water Planning Groups in Texas (aka Regions) - Groups designated pursuant to TWC §16.053. There are 16 water planning groups in Texas responsible for developing regional water plans that are guided by statute, rules, contracts, members of the planning groups, and the general public. Each group has diverse members with various economic, social, and environmental interests in their areas.

Key Performance Indicators Dashboard:

• Audit Year – The calendar year of data collected and reported in the water loss audit.
• Length of Mains (miles) – Total miles of potable distribution main lines in a retail public utility, as reported by the utility.
• Retail Population – The permanent population served directly by the retail public utility.
• Service Connections – The number of customer service connections, extending from the water main to supply water to a customer, including actual number of distinct piping connections, active and inactive.
• Service Connection Density – A utility indicator for the density of service connections to length of mains (miles).

Water Loss Terms and Acronyms

• GCD – A normalized unit of measurement, in gallons per connection per day.
• Apparent Loss GCD – a performance indicator that allows for reliable performance tracking in the water utility’s efforts to mitigate apparent loss. Calculated as the volume of apparent loss, divided by the number of service connections, divided by 365 days.
• Real Loss GCD – A performance indicator that allows for reliable performance tracking in the water utility’s efforts to mitigate real loss. Calculated as the volume of real loss, divided by the number of service connections, divided by 365 days.
• Water Loss GCD – A performance indicator that allows for reliable performance tracking in the water utility’s efforts to mitigate water loss. Calculated as the volume of water loss, divided by the number of service connections, divided by 365 days.

* Terms in Water Loss Balance are defined in the visual – hover over and select the question mark.

Mitigation Measures Dashboard:

• Data Source – Source of the data collected for measures used by a utility to mitigate water loss.
• Waiver – A granted request to waive the requirements of TWC §16.0121(g) regarding the use of funds received from the board to mitigate water loss if data from the water loss audit indicates the utility is above an established threshold and the utility is already satisfactorily mitigating their water loss. Mitigation measures taken by the utility to mitigate water loss are documented in the waiver.
• Validation – The process of examining water loss audit inputs to improve the water loss audit’s accuracy, and documenta the uncertainty associated with the used data. Mitigation measures taken by the utility are discussed and documented during the validation process.
• Measure Type – Type of mitigation measures taken by a retail public utility. See the dashboard’s data sources to download the Mitigation Measure Types Keywords file.
• Year of Data Collection – The calendar year the data for the dashboard was collected from the data source. Mitigation measures may be taken over the course of a few months to many years but are generally taken close to the year of data collection.
• AMR – Automated Meter Reading automatically collects water consumption and status data from water meters. An endpoint is connected to the meter’s encoder register and captures water flow data which is collected by utility personnel by walking or driving by with a data receiver in proximity to the device. After collection, the meter data is transferred to a database where utilities can monitor and analyze usage, troubleshoot issues, and bill customers.
• AMI – Advanced Metering Infrastructure is an integrated system of water meters, communication networks and data management systems that enables two-way communication between meter endpoints and utilities. Unlike AMR, AMI doesn’t require utility personnel to collect the data, instead the system automatically transmits the data directly to the utility at predetermined intervals via a fixed network. The utility can use the data to improve operational efficiencies and sustainability by effectively monitoring water usage and system efficiency, recognizing irregularities in water use, and billing customers.
• DMA’s – District Metered Areas are areas in a water distribution network which can be isolated from the whole of the system. This way the flows in and out of the DMA can be metered or quantified. DMA’s provide a more accurate way of tracking water use and loss in the system and are created in such a way that they can be isolated from the system without adversely affecting the demands, pressures and supply for the rest of the system.
• SCADA – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems monitor various aspects of a water system, including tank levels, pressure control, chemical levels, UV intensity, environmental conditions, pumps, valves, and filters. These systems can be essential for maintaining public health, ensuring compliance, and optimizing water utility operations.

Technical Assistance Dashboard:

• Technical Assistance Type – The type of technical assistance provided by TWDB or their designee.
• Provider – The provider of the technical assistance; contractor indicates a contracted staff member and TWDB indicates a TWDB staff member.
• Year of Assistance – The calendar year the technical assistance was provided.

Audit Validations Dashboard:

• Meeting Date – The date of the initial validation meeting with a utility.
• Meeting Status – The status of the validation meeting; non-responsive indicates a validation meeting was attempted but the utility was non-responsive, incomplete indicates a validation was not conducted with not fault to the utility, in progress indicates a validation is scheduled to be conducted, complete indicates a validation meeting was conducted.
• Report Status – The status of the validation report compiled post-validation meeting; in progress indicates a validation report is being finalized after the validation meeting, complete indicates a validation report is complete and can be downloaded from the dashboard.
• Validation Status – The status of the culmination of the validation meeting and validation report; in progress indicates the Report Status is in progress and complete indicates the Report Status is complete.
• Validation Year – The calendar year the validation meeting was conducted.

Financial Assistance & Waivers Dashboard:

Common Terms

• Project ID – A five-digit identification number for a project funded by TWDB.
• Year of Commitment – The calendar year of the commitment/board date. Multiple commitments may occur under one Project ID. The earliest commitment year is used.

Projects Funded

• Fund – The funding source used to finance a project funded by TWDB.
• Water Loss Project Type – The type of project funded by TWDB that includes a measure(s) to mitigate a utility’s water loss. See the dashboard’s data sources to download the Water Loss Project Type Keywords file.

Waivers Granted

• Water Loss Exceeded – The water loss type exceeding the established water loss threshold; apparent loss, real loss, or both. The requirements of TWC §16.0121(g) state a utility receiving funds from the board must use funds to mitigate water loss if data from the water loss audit indicates they meet or exceed an established threshold. A utility may request a waiver to be granted by the board, waiving the requirements of this subsection.