The EPA Water Score for Multifamily Owners: Where to Start

A water bill can rise for reasons the total doesn't explain. The billing period may be longer. Occupancy may have changed. Irrigation, a leak, or a meter correction may be involved. For an apartment owner, the first job is to establish a reliable whole-property record before deciding what to inspect or buy.

EPA's Water Score for multifamily housing is a 1–100 comparison with similar properties nationwide, generated in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and supported by WaterSense. EPA says a year of metered utility bills is needed. The score provides a benchmark for the property as a whole. It doesn't locate a leak or identify which fixture caused a change.

Make the water record usable

Put the bills in date order and record service dates as well as gallons or other usage units. Confirm that each bill belongs to the right property and meter. A partial month beside a longer billing cycle can make the trend look dramatic when daily use barely changed. Keep corrections and estimated bills marked. If multiple meters serve the property, map what each one covers before combining them.

Next, note operating changes during the period. A change in occupied units, a repaired line, new landscaping, or altered irrigation hours may affect the comparison. Those notes do not establish a cause. They tell the manager and the owner where a closer review may be useful. If submeter data exists and its coverage is known, it can narrow a question that a whole-property score cannot answer.

Choose the next investigation

EPA provides multifamily water assessment worksheets for documenting fixtures, appliances, systems, and management practices. Its WaterSense best management practices cover metering, leak detection, benchmarking, and water management planning. Those resources are useful after the bills and meter map are sound. They are a way to investigate potential improvements, not a promised savings estimate for a particular building.

If the data shows an unexplained jump, ask for the meter reading history and a review of the areas that meter serves. If irrigation is separate, compare its usage with the schedule and recent landscape changes. If there is a suspected system fault, have the appropriate qualified professional assess it. Keep the owner update specific: what changed, what has been checked, and what remains open.

A low score should prompt questions about data quality and property conditions. A high score is useful context, but it doesn't close an active leak report. Track both the benchmark and the actual follow-up. The owner should be able to see whether the recommended work follows from a verified condition.

Coastline's multifamily guide calls for financial and maintenance detail that leads to a decision. Water reporting should meet the same standard: source bills, meter coverage, an explained change, and an accountable next step.

If your utility reporting leaves those questions unanswered, Request a Property Management Performance Review.