Greenhouse, Indoor Farming & Agri-Processing worked example

Water Use per Crop with total water used per crop cycle of 6,000 gal: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop total water used per crop cycle to 6,000 gal, then walk the calculation through step by step. Estimate total water cost per crop cycle for a greenhouse or indoor farm from gallons used, $/gal water-and-sewer rate, plus fixed RO/UV treatment and labor costs so growers can quote water as a real cost-of-goods line.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Total water used per crop cycle: 6,000 gal (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 12,000)
  • Blended water and sewer rate: 0.01 $ / gal (held at the documented default)
  • Fixed RO, UV, and treatment cost per cycle: 75 $ (held at the documented default)
  • Water-system labor per cycle: 60 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Total water cost per crop cycle = total water used × blended water and sewer rate + fixed RO, UV, and treatment cost + water-system labor.
  • Total water cost per crop cycle works out to 207 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Water cost per gallon delivered works out to 0.03 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Variable water and sewer cost works out to 72 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed treatment and labor adders works out to 135 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where total water used per crop cycle sits at 12,000 gal and the headline result is 279 $, this scenario comes in 25.81% below the baseline at 207 $.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to total water used per crop cycle, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It assumes a flat blended water/sewer rate; tiered utility pricing, seasonal surcharges, or stormwater fees can push the real rate above the figure shown.

Results at a glance

  • Total water cost per crop cycle: 207 $ (headline result)
  • Water cost per gallon delivered: 0.03 $ / piece
  • Variable water and sewer cost: 72 $
  • Fixed treatment and labor adders: 135 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Water Use per Crop calculator, set total water used per crop cycle to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.