A water audit is a systematic review of a site to identify opportunities to improve its water use efficiency. The site may be a public water utility, facility (institutional or commercial properties like malls, office, schools etc.) or a household. Audit recommendations are developed based on surveys and assessments of water-using hardware, fixtures, equipment, landscaping, and management practices at the site. Water audit involves tracking, assessing and validating all components of flow from the site of withdrawal or treatment through the water distribution system and into the consumer’s properties. Water auditing examines the major areas of water use, including human consumption, personal hygiene & sanitation, washing, cleaning, laundry, gardening etc. Water auditing is an ongoing process and rarely stays consistent in a site or system over time. Therefore, in order to gauge progress from adopted water conservation and cutbacks, water audits should be performed on a regular basis. In addition, it provides a convincing overview of the water use trends, effectiveness of conservation measures and potential cost and water savings.

Based on the request from the Rotary Club of Cochin, a detailed water audit was conducted in Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Ernakulam South in 2018. As a part of this, a water literacy campaign was conducted for the school students and also the high school students were trained to conduct a water audit for the campus. Based on the surveys conducted and data collected from the institution a water audit report was prepared and recommendations for water conservation and management were given.