Water Sales by Wisconsin's Public Utilities Has Fallen Over the Past Decades

Monday, September 25th, 2023 -- 10:01 AM

(By Joe Schulz, Wisconsin Public Radio) Water sales by the state's public utilities have fallen significantly over the past few decades, fueled by conservation efforts and shuttered manufacturing facilities, according to a new report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum.

Last year, 574 Wisconsin utilities sold over 138 billion gallons of water, down from a high of 175 billion in 1998, the report said. Since 1997, statewide water sales have fallen by 18 percent.

During the same period, residential water sales declined by 16 percent and commercial water use has fallen by 8.2 percent, the report said. But industrial water usage has declined the most since 1997, falling by 34 percent or 17.2 billion gallons.

Tyler Byrnes, a researcher for Wisconsin Policy Forum and the report’s author, said declines in residential water use can be attributed to advancements in water-saving technologies, like low-flow toilets and shower heads.

But the decline in industrial use, he said, is due to manufacturers being more efficient with their water use and changes in the manufacturing landscape. Plant closures have led to massive declines in water use in some communities.

For example, the city of Madison lost two dairies, the Sara Lee Bakery and the Oscar Mayer manufacturing plant. It's seen the amount of water sold to industrial customers decline by nearly 83 percent since 1997, the report said.

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