How to compare water use against another period

Water comparison puts water use in one period side by side with another and works out the Difference (m³) between them.

Water comparison puts water use in one period side by side with another and works out the Difference (m³) between them. It's the simplest way to see whether a measure has worked, or whether consumption has crept upwards without anyone noticing.

How to compare two periods

Open the building you want to work on. See How to switch building and search for a building.

Go to Water > Water comparison in the sidebar.

Select the main period in the date picker at the top.

Select the resolution: Per hour, Per day, Per week or Per month.

Select the start date for the comparison period. The Last year shortcut and the two preceding years are ready to hand, or pick a date in the calendar.

The graph now shows both periods.

Note: You only choose the start of the comparison period. Its length follows the main period, so if you compare a month, the comparison period is a month too.

How to see the difference in figures

Click Show table.

The columns show Date, the totals for both periods and Difference (m³).

Click Download as Excel file if you need the figures elsewhere.

Why water isn't corrected for temperature

Energy use is corrected for outdoor temperature, because a cold year demands more heating. Water use isn't: it follows use of the building, not the weather. If you compare two periods with different activity — holiday weeks against normal weeks, or before and after a tenant moved in — occupancy is what explains the difference, and that's for you to account for.

This is why comparing the same period from year to year is usually more meaningful for water than comparing two consecutive periods.

Frequently asked questions

The comparison period is empty. Why?

There are no meter readings for that period. Common for buildings recently connected to Properate, or for a meter added later.

Consumption has gone up but I don't know why. What do I look at?

Go to Water consumption and set the resolution to Per hour across a period with no activity. If the night-time baseline is higher than before, you have a leak. If only daytime consumption is higher, usage is what changed.

Can I share the link?

Yes. Meter, period, resolution and comparison period all live in the page's address.

Tip!