Utility Grades

The Annual Water Loss Report Card

Every year, Project Watershed will publish grades for water utilities across the country, A through F, benchmarked against peer utilities of similar size and geography. Each utility's entry includes its water loss percentage, the dollar cost per household, its trend over time, and its rank among peers.

Status: building the first report card now, starting with New Jersey as a proof of concept, expanding state by state.

Proof

We know this works because it's already been done

In Wisconsin, a university researcher built a similar report card grading 570 utilities on performance, A through F. It generated real press coverage, local government attention, and measurable accountability pressure.

In one documented case, Clinton Village's water utility received a D for infrastructure due to major water leaks that had gone unfixed for two years. Once the grade was published and the pressure mounted, the utility acted. The fixes cost just $3,000. Water loss dropped from 36% to 9%.

One grade. Public pressure. $3,000 in repairs. Water loss cut by more than half.

Coming Soon

Look up your utility

Soon, you'll be able to search any U.S. water utility by zip code or name and see its grade instantly. That tool is in progress.

Be the first to see your utility's grade

We'll email you the day the first Report Card publishes.