The North American water industry is challenged to implement improvements in water quality, infrastructure, and customer satisfaction, while still managing costs, protecting the environment, and ensuring long-term sustainability of our water resources. The efficiency of this water industry is in question, however, as many water suppliers lose to leakage or poor accounting substantial portions of the water that they manage from the source to the customer. Moreover, no consistent national standard exists for water accounting or leakage management in this industry. The American Water Works Association's Leak Detection & Water Accountability Committee has assembled a comprehensive strategic plan designating activities designed to increase the focus of the North American water industry on reducing water loss and promoting water efficiency and demand management practices. The major goals of this plan are to: raise awareness of the extent of water loss in North America; define ways to develop standards for water loss performance and water accounting; and, schedule forums that will identify components of progressive leak management technology successfully utilized outside North America that can be applied here. The discussion included in this paper notes the significant need to increase industry effort regarding water loss and improved demand management, and describes emerging AWWA activities to increase this focus. Includes 9 references, figures.
