Mayor announces new program for Angelenos to monitor water consumption

Angelenos can track their at-home water usage through a new pilot program established by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, one of the latest initiatives aimed at stepping up local conservation efforts, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced.

The program provides a discount for homeowners who purchase Flume, a Wi-Fi-enabled device that attaches to a customer’s water meter and uses sensors to track water consumption and other data in real time through an app available on smartphones and other devices, according to the mayor’s office. Flume can help customers create a water budget.

The program allows DWP customers living in single-family homes to purchase Flume directly through the company’s website for $24, discounted from its $199 regular price tag.

“We don’t need a crystal ball to see that skyrocketing temperatures and dying reservoirs are in our future, so we need to keep finding ways to help Angelenos double down on their historic efforts to conserve,” Garcetti said in a news release.

The water consumption app also features a budgeting tool that allows customers to set usage targets, while smart leak alerts notify customers when unusual water use is detected, the DWP said. The device monitors and analyzes indoor and outdoor water use as well as the breakdown of water use by common fixtures and appliances, such as toilets, showers and clothes washers.