Water conservation refers to reducing use of fresh water, through technological or social methods. The goals of water conservation efforts include:

• Sustainability - To ensure availability for future generations, the withdrawal of fresh water from an ecosystem should not exceed its natural replacement rate.
• Energy conservation - Water pumping, delivery and wastewater treatment facilities consume a significant amount of energy. In some regions of the world (for example, California ^[1]) over 15% of total electricity consumption is devoted to water management.
• Habitat conservation - Minimizing human water use helps to preserve fresh water habitats for local wildlife and migrating waterfowl, as well as reducing the need to build new dams and other water diversion infrastructure.

Sustainability is an attempt to provide the best outcomes for the human and natural environments both now and into the indefinite future. ... For the physical concepts, see conservation of energy and energy efficiency. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... To conserve habitat for wild species and prevent their extinction or reduction in range is a priority of a great many groups that cannot be easily characterized in terms of any one ideology. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Social solutions

Water conservation programs are typically initiated at the local level, either by municipal water utilities or regional governments. Common strategies include public education campaigns, tiered water rates (charging progressively higher prices as water use increases), subsidies for showerhead and toilet retrofits, and seasonal restrictions on lawn sprinklers^[2]. Cities in dry climates often require or encourage the installation of xeriscaping or natural landscaping in new homes to reduce outdoor water usage "[1]". In economics, a subsidy is generally a monetary grant given by a government to lower the price faced by producers or consumers of a good, generally because it is considered to be in the public interest. ... Xeriscape symbol Xeriscaping refers to landscaping in ways that do not require supplemental irrigation. ... Natural landscaping using forest floor with leaf litter and pine needles Natural landscaping, also called native gardening, is the use of plants, including trees, shrubs, groundcover, grasses and wildflowers, which are indigenous to the geographical area in which the garden is located, as well as rocks and boulders in place...

One fundamental conservation goal is universal metering. The prevalence of residential water metering varies significantly worldwide. Recent studies have estimated that water supplies are metered in less than 30% of UK households^[3], and about 57% of urban Canadian homes^[4]. Although individual water meters have often been considered impractical in homes with private wells or in multifamily buildings, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that metering alone can reduce consumption by 20 to 40 percent^[5]. In addition to raising consumer awareness of their water use, metering is also an important way to identify and localize water leaks. A typical residential water meter A water meter is a device used to measure water usage. ... EPA redirects here. ...

Some researchers have suggested that water conservation efforts should be primarily directed at farmers, in light of the fact that crop irrigation accounts for 70% of the world's fresh water use.^[6] The agricultural sector of most countries is important both economically and politically, and water subsidies are common. Conservation advocates have urged removal of all subsidies to force farmers to grow more water-efficient crops and adopt less wasteful irrigation techniques (see Technological solutions below). Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the soil. ...

Technological solutions

Water-saving technology for the home includes:

• low-flow shower heads (sometimes called energy-efficient shower heads as they also use less energy, due to less water being heated).^{[citation needed]}
• low-flush toilets, composting toilets and waterless urinals, which can have a dramatic impact in the developed world, as conventional Western toilets use large volumes of water.
• faucet aerators, which break water flow into fine droplets to maintain "wetting effectiveness" while using less water. As a bonus, they reduce splashing while washing hands and dishes.
• wastewater reuse or recycling systems, allowing:
  • reuse of graywater for flushing toilets or for the garden, and
  • recycling of wastewater through purification at a water treatment plant. See also Wastewater - Reuse
• having 4 minute showers using an hourglass timer.

Overhead irrigation, center pivot design

For crop irrigation, optimal water efficiency means minimizing losses due to evaporation or runoff. An Evaporation pan can be used to determine how much water is required to irrigate the land. Flood irrigation, the oldest and most common type, is often very uneven in distribution, as parts of a field may receive excess water in order to deliver sufficient quantities to other parts. Overhead irrigation, using center-pivot or lateral-moving sprinklers, gives a much more equal and controlled distribution pattern, but in extremely dry conditions much of the water may evaporate befare it reaches the ground. Drip irrigation is the most expensive and least-used type, but offers the best results in delivering water to plant roots with minimal losses. Composting toilets use biological processes to deal with the disposal and processing of human excrement into organic compost material. ... Flush toilet. ... Warning sign in Santa Monica, California, where reclaimed water is used to irrigate plants in public parks. ... Greywater is water generated by household processes such as washing dishes, laundry and bathing. ... Control room and schematics of the water purification plant to Bret lake. ... Wastewater is any water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic influence. ... Pivot irrigation on cotton This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Pivot irrigation on cotton This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Pan evaporation is a measurement that combines or integrates the effects of several climate elements: temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind. ... Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the soil. ... Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the soil. ... Drip Irrigation - A dripper in action Main article: Irrigation Drip irrigation, also known as trickle irrigation or microirrigation is an irrigation method that applies water slowly to the roots of plants, by depositing the water either on the soil surface or directly to the root zone, through a network of...

As changing irrigation systems can be a costly undertaking, conservation efforts often concentrate on maximizing the efficiency of the existing system. This may include chiseling compacted soils, creating furrow dikes to prevent runoff, and using soil moisture and rainfall sensors to optimize irrigation schedules.^[7]

Catchment management

Water catchment management measures include: A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (yellow outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (blue lines) of a contiguous area. ...

• recharge pits, which capture rainwater and runoff and use it to recharge ground water supplies. This helps in the formation of ground water wells etc. and eventually reduces soil erosion caused due to running water.

Asshole

Water Conservation versus Water Efficiency

Water Conservation

Water conservation can be defined as,

1. any beneficial reduction in water loss, waste, or use;
2. a reduction in water use accomplished by implementation of water conservation or water efficiency measures; or,
3. improved water management practices that reduce or enhance the beneficial use of water. ^[8]. A water conservation measure is an action, behavioural change, device, technology, or improved design or process implemented to reduce water loss, waste, or use. Water efficiency is a tool of water conservation. That results in more efficient water use and thus reduces water demand. The value and cost-effectiveness of a water efficiency measure must be evaluated in relation to its effects on the use and cost of other natural resources (e.g. energy or chemicals). ^[9]

Water conservation may have different meanings for different people. It may remind us of the possibility of collecting rainwater in small tanks for domestic use, or constructing dams and reservoirs; of recharging groundwater tables, or using lower quality water whenever possible in order to save better water. Water conservation encompasses all this. It involves reducing the demand for water by fostering water conservation habits, stopping wasteful uses, decreasing peak consumption and charging for water at the appropriate rates. It also means taking advantage of technological developments and improved management techniques; coordinating water resource planning and management with land-use planning and economic and social planning; and establishing new or updated standards and regulations. In short, water conservation means optimal water use. ^[10]

Water Efficiency

Main article: Water efficiency

Water efficiency can be defined as, 1) the accomplishment of a function, task, process, or result with the minimal amount of water feasible; 2) an indicator of the relationship between the amount of water required for a particular purpose and the amount of water used or delivered. ^[11] // Water efficiency can be defined as, 1) the accomplishment of a function, task, process, or result with the minimal amount of water feasible; 2) an indicator of the relationship between the amount of water required for a particular purpose and the amount of water used or delivered. ...

Water efficiency differs from the above statements because it focuses on reducing waste. The key to water efficiency is reducing waste, not restricting use. Consumers can help reduce waste by making small behavioural changes and by choosing more water efficient products. To be water efficient, users can fix leaking tapes, take showers rather than baths, use a Hippo (or other product) in the toilet, and do a full load of dishes or laundry. All of these things will aid in decreasing the waste of water on an everyday basis. It is extremely important as a consumer to understand the usefulness of water efficiency and how to continually use water wisely.

Notes and references

See also

• Pan evaporation