Many futurists predict that water, not oil, will be the source of our greatest conflicts in this new century. Indeed, we have already seen communities turn against each other as water levels run low due to increased demand, environmental conditions and changing weather patterns.

Successful residential water conservation programs usually consist of several components:

• Public education
• Rebates for water-efficient plumbing equipment
• "Conservation rate" pricing (increasing prices to reduce demand)
• Building code requirements for new buildings
• Rainwater harvesting
• Leak detection and repair
• Residential water-use audits

While voluntary conservation efforts can work well in conjunction with an aggressive outreach and education campaign, mandatory conservation measures may be required when conditions warrant.

Resources:

The Environmental Protection Agency has done a great job with their WaterSense® program. Through this innovative program, the EPA offers links to WaterSense® (water-efficient) products and partnership opportunities for manufacturers, retailers and distributors, as well as homeowner tips for conserving water.

The Office of the State Engineer of New Mexico has compiled a group of sample municipal water conservation policies and regulations.

The University of Florida has prepared a colorful brochure on water conservation called "Water Efficiently."