Water conservation is important for three reasons. Dry summers place these areas of the country under additional stress. Second, other parts of the country, particularly the rural areas, often rely on groundwater as their sole source of supply. Excessive water use or withdrawals can lower water tables in these rural areas. There are many water-saving opportunities available to consumers, industry, and governments.
Physical measures refer to alterations that can be made to water using equipment or processes.
Industrial examples include the installation of water-recycling equipment, such as cooling towers, and process changes that lower water use. Economic measures refer to means of altering the ways in which users pay for the right to use water. Social measures refer to broad social policies and actions designed to lower water usage. Examples include revisions to plumbing codes, legal restrictions on water use during drought periods, and campaigns to inform the public about the importance of water. Furthermore, conservation retrofitting of an existing building could generate benefits ranging between 15 and 20 times the costs incurred.