Manage Your Water Use With WaterSmart
Optimize your household or business’s water usage with WaterSmart, a new online water management tool from City of Palo Alto Utilities.
WaterSmart can show you how much water you’re using and where, helping you reduce utility costs and conserve water with efficiency tips and rebates customized to your needs and water usage patterns.
Access WaterSmart on MyCPAU
Residential
In addition to what WaterSmart offers, most single-family residential customers will receive quarterly Home Water Reports by email or mail. All residents have access to their Home Water Report in WaterSmart.
With WaterSmart, you can:
- Compare your water use to your neighbors and determine if you’re more or less efficient than similar households with My Water Score.
- Identify where in your house you’re using the most water — and how to reduce consumption in those places to save money.
- Get recommended rebates and efficiency tips customized to your water usage patterns and home profile.
- Find and fix possible leaks with automated alerts that let you know when your water use patterns suggest a leak.
- Investigate a high water bill with factors like longer billing cycles and possible leaks.
For the most accurate results, update your household profile in WaterSmart. Your household profile takes into account information related to your household size, water-using appliances, landscaping, and daily activities.
Commercial
With WaterSmart, you can:
- Track your water use and compare it previous years.
- Get recommended rebates and efficiency tips customized to your water usage patterns and business profile.
- Investigate a high water bill with factors like longer billing cycles and possible leaks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who am I being compared to?
For residential customers, Your Water Score compares your water usage to other Palo Alto households that have the same number of occupants and a similarly sized yard.
WaterSmart has a strict Privacy Policy, no personally-identifiable customer information is shared with other users.
How are water comparisons calculated for businesses multifamily residences?
Commercial and multi-family residence water usage is compared to your account’s historical water usage.
Where does my water use data come from?
Your water usage data, specifically your meter readings, comes directly from your water utility account. WaterSmart and MyCPAU use the same data from meter readings. Historic water usage data goes back to 2017.
How soon will I be notified of a potential leak? How are potential leaks identified?
Beginning in April 2023, single-family residential customers will receive courtesy alerts to be made aware of potential leaks.
Homes with current email addresses will be alerted of potential leaks shortly after they receive their water bill. To receive alerts, accounts must have a minimum of two years of history associated with the property. You can update the email address associated with your account by adjusting the contact information in your MyCPAU account or by calling Customer Service at (650) 329-2161.
Leak alerts are sent when monthly consumption exceeds:
- 750 Minimum Gallons Per Day (GPD)
- 200% increase over the seasonal high from the previous two years
WaterSmart Home Water Reports are delivered by the City of Palo Alto Utilities in collaboration with Valley Water. Funding for this project has been provided in part from the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 and through an agreement with the State Department of Water Resources.