1. Go to the City of Davis AquaHawk page.
2. Click the Register button.
3. Fill in your personal contact information. The information does not have to match the contact information on your utility bill. Alerts will be sent to your preferred contact method.
4. Click the Register button to complete registration.
5. After a few minutes, you will receive an e-mail confirmation with your login information.
6. You will then be redirected to the City of Davis AquaHawk portal page where you can sign in.
7. If this is the first time signing in, the Add Account box pops up. Enter the Account number, Account Name and Service Address listed on your utility bill. If your account number contains leading zeros and is not being accepted during the registration process, remove the leading zeros and try again. If your account number is still not accepted, please contact Public Works Utilities and Operations staff at (530) 757-5686 or SaveWater@CityofDavis.org.

Click Add to finish the setup.

Watch a video of the registration process

City of Davis AquaHawk registration instructions (PDF)

Registration Details 

The account holder who receives the monthly utility bill from the City may choose to provide access to others (tenants, landscapers, etc.) to view the water usage for the account. Each user may set-up his/her own login with AquaHawk but will need permission from the account owner and the account information to complete the registration process. The water use portal is not connected to the individual water meters, and cannot turn on or off water service, or retain information other than the residential water use data. For properties in El Macero, you will need your account number from the Yolo County CSA to complete the registration process. Please contact the Yolo County CSA Administrative Support Team at YoloCSA@yolocounty.org or (530) 666-8153.

Water use data is transmitted to the AquaHawk customer water portal 4 times per day. There is an approximately 6 - 12 hour lag time in data transmissions and the availability of those readings in the portal.

The ability to set a usage alert is one of the primary benefits of the water user portal. Setting alerts to be notified of continuous water usage over a 24-hour time period or less is recommended.  If there is an interruption in the readings for your meter, customer set automatic alerts may not be sent during those time periods, please continue to monitor your monthly utility bill.

If you are not receiving regular reads through AquaHawk, please check that your water meter box is accessible and not buried under dirt, rock or other debris and not covered by shrubs or other plants. Your water meter has an antenna that sends hourly water use readings. If it’s buried under rock or dirt, the meter cannot send readouts and our crews will need to come and uncover your meter box. If our crews need to access your water meter to get a reading or check the meter and it is not accessible, they may need to trim hedges, remove dirt or rock, etc. in order to access the meter box. City Municipal Code 39.02.070

When you first login, you will see a bar graph with your water usage over the last 365 days. You can change this view by clicking on the options above the graph (on the left-hand side) to show different periods of time (last 24 hours, 48 hours, 30 days, etc.). You may enter a specific date to view usage for that date. You can also click on the bar for any day on the graph and see the hourly water use for that day (data is transmitted to the portal 4 times per day so there is an approximately 6 - 12 hour lag time in data transmissions and the availability of those readings) . Hovering over a bar will display consumption details.

The orange bars on the graph indicate spanning. When a meter doesn’t report for several time intervals AquaHawk “spans” or averages the retrieved data over the timeframe between reports. Click on “Actual View” on the top right of the graph to view your water use data without spanning. Short time periods of spanning are often due to something temporarily blocking the meter data transmission, such as a car parked over the meter box in a driveway. 

The table in the center of the AquaHawk screen allows you to quickly see water usage during the current water use period. The table shows your estimated water charges, projected water charges, water use and projected water use.

Estimated water charges - the estimate to date within the water use period of how much you currently owe for the water portion of your utility bill. If you are in day 15 of the water use period then the charges are the estimated amount you would owe for approximately half of the month if you were billed that day.

Projected water charges - the estimated amount you will owe for the water portion of your utility bill by the end of the water use period.

Water use - your water use to date within the current water use period.

Projected water use – the estimated amount of water you will use by the end of the water use period.

Tips: Click on the estimated water charges to view a breakdown of these charges. Click on Cu Ft to view water use in gallons.

Set-up personalized text or e-mail notifications based on water consumption or projected water use charges.  Set thresholds to be notified if there is continuous water use indicating a potential leak on your property so that leaks can be found and repairs can be made more quickly. Water use data is transmitted to the customer water use portal 4 times per day so there is an approximately 6 - 12 hour lag time in data transmissions and the availability of those readings. This also affects the timing of alerts you will receive.

Set Usage Alerts

• Sign in to your account on the City of Davis AquaHawk page.
• Click the blue My Thresholds button in the middle of your home page to open your alert options.
• Choose the types of alerts that you would like to set and click Apply.

Set a Continuous Usage Alert

• Click on the Advanced Water Use Thresholds settings link in the My Thresholds box.
• There are multiple options in this box. Alerts can be sent if water use in gallons exceeds a user set amount of water in 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week or 1 month.
• The last row in the box allows you to set an amount of water in gallons per hour for a specified amount of time. Water running continuously over longer periods of time, particularly throughout the night, can be a sign of a leak. Setting this alert for continuous water use over a period of 24 hours is highly recommended.  
• Click Apply to save.

How to Set an Estimated Bill Alert Threshold

• To specify an amount you don't want the water charges on your bill to exceed, enter a dollar value for your Estimated Bill Alert Threshold.
• Click the Current box if you want to be notified when the water charges on your bill have exceeded your threshold.
• Click the Projected box if you want to be notified when your estimated water use charges will exceed your threshold by the end of the water use period.
• Click Apply to save.

Tip: Choose an alert that is higher than the typical water charges on your monthly utility bill.

How to Set an Estimated Water Use Alert Threshold

• To specify an amount you don't want the water usage on your bill to exceed, enter an amount of water (in gallons) for your Water Use Alert Threshold.
• Click the Current box if you want to be notified when your water usage has exceeded your threshold.
• Click the Projected box if you want to when your estimated water usage will exceed your threshold by the end of the water use period.
• Click Apply to save.

Tip: Choose an amount of water (in gallons) that is higher than your typical water consumption on your monthly utility bill. 

You may wish to change the usage thresholds by season with water usage typically being lower in the winter compared to the summer. The units on your utility bill show usage in hundred cubic feet (CCF). 1 CCF = 748 gallons. Average single-family residential use in winter for Davis is typically around 8 CCF. Average single-family residential summer use in the summer is typically around 17 CCF.  The amount of usage can vary greatly depending upon the number of people in a household and the size/type of landscape. A tool for general information on how much water your household uses is the Alliance for Water Efficiency Home Water Works Calculator. 

AquaHawk Usage Alert Notifications 

As an enhancement to the city's customer water use portal, AquaHawk now includes usage alert notifications to registered customers. AquaHawk support staff monitor and review alerts daily and send notifications, as needed, to customers when the AquaHawk algorithms detect unusual water usage patterns. These alerts will be sent along with any user-defined threshold alerts for registered customers. The alerts are a courtesy to our customers to inform them of unusual water usage prior to receiving their utility bill. The alerts may not catch all unusual water usage for a property and continuous water usage will not trigger an alert until it reaches above 10 gallons/hour.

Customers are responsible for all water usage on their property, whether alerted through the AquaHawk portal or not.

More information on usage alerts

AquaHawk can be used to monitor your hourly water usage and set and receive usage alerts. When looking at your usage data in AquaHawk, look at usage throughout the night. Most single-family residential properties will have some hours of zero water use, especially during nighttime hours. In AquaHawk, look for the bright blue bars for actual water usage on your graph. If you see continuous water use in AquaHawk, check your appliances and fixtures for any leaks and then check back in AquaHawk to see if nighttime usage has dropped. 

 Find more information in the Using AquaHawk to Assist in Finding Leaks PDF and Summer Irrigation Reminders & Using AquaHawk to Check for Continuous Water Use.

For water customers with multiple meters on a property or multiple accounts to manage, you can view all of your accounts and/or meters under one main account registration in AquaHawk. To switch between multiple accounts, click on the "x" in the Search box and choose the account you wish to view. The Account # above the Usage Graph will change. To view multiple meters under one account (typically for multi-family or commercial properties), click the arrow in the Search box and choose the meter you wish to view. The Meter # above the Usage Graph will change. 

See Working with Multiple Accounts and Meters for more information on registering multiple accounts, switching between multiple meters and/or accounts, or removing an account.

Q:  Will I automatically receive alerts if I register for AquaHawk?

No. AquaHawk is an opt-in program; customers must register for the water use portal and set their own usage alerts (called My Thresholds). AquaHawk does not send automatic alerts. To receive usage alerts, these user-defined thresholds must be set. Learn more about setting usage alerts in the tab above.

Q:  Does AquaHawk have a help page?

Yes. The AquaHawk help site can be accessed at http://help.aquahawk.us/welcome. The site provides information on system requirements, registration and an overview of the customer water use portal.

Q:  Does AquaHawk have a smartphone app?

AquaHawk does not have a smartphone app but does offer a mobile browser-friendly view of key data and existing alerts. The mobile friendly site is accessed through the same web link as the full AquaHawk site, https://davica.aquahawk.us/login. AquaHawk is supported on Android tablets and the Apple IOS iPad as well as the Apple IOS iPhone, Android phones and Windows Mobile.

Q:  Can I pay my bill through AquaHawk?

No, you cannot pay your city water bill through AquaHawk. To pay your utility bill please visit https://cityofdavis.org/city-hall/finance/electronic-payments.

Q:  Who can register for AquaHawk?

All property owners or city utility billing account holders are encouraged to register with AquaHawk.  The account holder who receives the monthly utility bill from the City may choose to provide access to others (tenants, landscapers, etc.) to view the water usage for the account. Each user may set-up his/her own login with AquaHawk but will need permission from the account owner and the account information to complete the registration process. 

Q:  What time periods can I view on the graph?

The selection bar above the water usage graph allows you to select a time view of 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, 30 days, 45 days, 365 days and 12 months.

Q:  How do I view daily and hourly data on the graph?

Click on any monthly bar graph and you will see daily data. Select any single day bar graph and you will see hourly usage. Hover over a blue bar to see consumption details.

Q:  How do I export my water usage data?

Water usage data can be downloaded into a .csv file that can be opened with Microsoft Excel and other applications. To download water usage data, follow the steps below:

1. Click the blue Export button in the water usage panel (top center of the AquaHawk page).
2. Select the account you which to download information for or choose all registered accounts.
3. Select a start and end date for the data you wish to export.
4. Select hourly, daily or monthly data. If downloading hourly data please note that hourly information can only be downloaded for a seven day time period.
5. Click download.

 Q:  What levels should I use when setting thresholds?

We suggest you monitor your account and your typical daily usage for 2 weeks to help to determine appropriate thresholds for your individual property and use patterns. You may wish to choose an amount of water (in gallons) that is higher than your typical water consumption on your monthly utility bill, so that you only receive an alert if you exceed this amount. The month of highest water usage is typically July. If you wish to receive alerts only when exceeding your typical highest use, you can look at the monthly, daily and hourly water usage in July and setting thresholds based on these amounts. You may wish to change the usage thresholds by season with water usage typically being lower in the winter compared to the summer. If you are receiving more alerts then you would like you can change your threshold levels at any time.

Q:  How do I set an alert for continuous water usage?

The last row in the box under advanced water use thresholds allows you to set an amount of water in gallons per hour for a specified amount of time. Water running continuously over longer periods of time, particularly throughout the night, can be a sign of a leak. Setting this alert for continuous water use over a period of 24 hours is highly recommended.  

Q:  AquaHawk requires thresholds in gallons, how do I convert the units on my bill to gallons?

The units shown for water usage on your city utility bill are in CCF (hundred cubic feet). 1 CCF = 748 gallons. Average single-family residential use in winter 2017-2018 (Nov. - Feb.) was 8 CCF per month (5,984 gallons). Average single-family residential summer use for 2018 (May - August) was 16 CCF per month (11,968 gallons).