We know surprisingly little about how we use water outdoors. We’re helping change that.

Water companies know how much water passes through a meter.

What they often don’t know is what happens next.

How much water goes on gardens? How much fills paddling pools? How much is used washing cars? Which activities drive demand spikes during hot weather? And what makes people choose mains water when alternatives such as rainwater harvesting are available?

The honest answer is that we don’t know nearly enough.

That’s why we’re excited to announce that Watergate AI is part of a new Water Efficiency Lab project, led by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and funded through Ofwat’s Water Efficiency Fund.

The project will create the first detailed picture of outdoor household water use in the UK, helping the water sector understand not just how much water is used outdoors, but when, why, and for what purpose.

The challenge hiding in plain sight

The UK faces a predicted mains water deficit of five billion litres per day by 2055 if no action is taken.

We already know that water demand rises significantly during warmer months. Outdoor activities are a major contributor. Yet despite decades of research into water efficiency, outdoor use remains one of the least understood parts of household demand.

That’s a problem.

You can’t manage what you don’t measure.

Without understanding where water is going, it’s difficult to design effective water-saving programmes, provide useful customer guidance, or encourage meaningful behaviour change.

From assumptions to understanding

The project brings together expertise from across the water sector, including the RHS, Artesia Consulting, University College London, Weir The Agency, Waterwise and several leading UK water companies.

Watergate’s role is to help generate the data needed to answer questions that have remained largely unanswered.

By combining high-resolution monitoring technology with smart meter data and advanced analytics, we’ll help identify how water is being used outdoors across different households and customer groups.

The aim is simple: replace assumptions with evidence.

We’ll be able to understand:

• Which outdoor activities use the most water
• How usage changes during different weather conditions
• What drives household behaviour
• What barriers prevent people from using alternatives such as rainwater harvesting and greywater
• Where the greatest opportunities exist to reduce mains water demand

For the first time, the sector will have a much clearer picture of what outdoor water use actually looks like.

Why this matters

At Watergate, we’ve always believed that visibility drives better decisions.

When people can see what’s happening inside their buildings, they waste less water. Leaks get fixed faster. Consumption falls. Accountability improves.

The same principle applies at a national scale.

Better data leads to better understanding. Better understanding leads to better decisions. Better decisions lead to meaningful reductions in water demand.

This isn’t about telling people not to enjoy their gardens or use water outdoors.

It’s about helping people make informed choices and ensuring that precious drinking water is used where it creates the greatest value.

We’re proud to be working alongside the RHS and our project partners to uncover insights that simply haven’t existed before.

First we measure.

Then we understand.

Then we improve.

That’s how meaningful water efficiency happens.