Using Smart Demand-Metering Data and Customer Characteristics to Investigate Influence of Weather on Water Consumption in the UK
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 146, Issue 2
Abstract
Predicting water demand is necessary to ensure a secure water supply to homes and businesses. With great uncertainty around future changes in the climate and in UK households, it is essential to accurately determine the effect of weather on water consumption. A systematic approach based on smart demand-metering data and customer characteristics (e.g., metering status and garden ownership) was used to investigate the sensitivity of household water consumption to weather, for different consumer types and time-varying parameters. The following weather variables were analyzed: air temperature, soil temperature, humidity, precipitation, and sunshine hours. Results indicated that the effect of the weather on water consumption is moderate in the UK. This effect was more significant for affluent customers with high monthly variations in consumption and medium-occupancy households; and during work days, summers, and evenings. Sunshine hours, humidity, and air temperature were the most influential weather variables. Soil temperature had a milder influence, whereas daily rainfall had minimal impact.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code used during the study were provided by a third party. Direct requests for these materials may be made to the provider indicated in the Acknowledgments.
Acknowledgments
This study was conducted as part of the WISE Centre for Doctoral Training, funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. The data for this study were made available by Wessex Water.
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Published In
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 146 • Issue 2 • February 2020
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 3, 2018
Accepted: May 22, 2019
Published online: Dec 3, 2019
Published in print: Feb 1, 2020
Discussion open until: May 3, 2020
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