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Water Conservation Water conservation is the reduction of the overall demand for water and/or an increase in the efficiency of a water system. Water conservation may be practiced by an individual by curbing his or her personal water use or may be implemented by a water provider by creating programs that improve system efficiency and/or discourage wasteful water use. Conserving water by consuming less, wasting less, or reusing more reduces costs and postpones or eliminates the need for expensive and environmentally damaging new dams or similar water supply projects. Conservation is superior to new infrastructure development like dams and pipelines as a water management strategy because it is normally economical, environmentally benign and, frankly, wise. Topics  Are We Planning to Conserve Water? Meeting Needs Through Conservation Conservation Potential for Cites, Agriculture, and Industry What You Can Do Additional ResourcesRelated Information Reservoirs or Conservation?Are We Planning to Conserve Water? Texas is the fastest growing state in the Union; its population is projected to double by mid-century. To protect our natural heritage, we should meet new demands through water conservation whenever possible. Texas' 2007 State Water Plan recommends 600,000 acre-feet of municipal water conservation statewide. A recent National Wildlife Federation report shows that there is an additional one million acre-feet of readily available conservation above and beyond what the State Water Plan calls for. The state plan also recommends 16 new reservoirs, with most of that water going to municipal uses. All those new reservoirs combined would produce roughly one million acre-feet of water - the same amount that could gained from increased water conservation. This does not necessarily mean that every new reservoir in the plan could be eliminated with water conservation, but it does speak to water conservation's overlooked potential as a serious supply strategy. Two of the regional water plans that make up the state plan, the Lower Colorado (Region K) and the South Central Texas (Region L), set ambitious conservation goals. Unfortunately, most of the other regions set low targets or did not recommend water conservation at all. In 2007, the Legislature created a new Water Conservation Advisory Council which will develop a library of best conservation practices and will report biennially on the progress of water conservation within the state. The same legislation created a statewide water conservation public awareness program; however this campaign remains unfunded as of this writing. Learn about the conservation efforts in your area's regional water plan back to topMeeting Needs Through Conservation Using water more efficiently can help Texas meet the challenges brought on by population growth. Several cities in Texas and elsewhere have been able to significantly reduce their per person water use through aggressive water conservation programs. For example, total water use in the San Antonio area has remained fairly constant since the early 1980s, even as the city's water utility has added roughly 300,000 customers. To learn more about how San Antonio reduced its water use, read the case study. In 2007, the City of Austin created an ambitious water conservation program that aims to cut over 10% off the city's peak demand over a ten year period. The new requirements will add to the city's existing conservation program. To learn more about Austin's plan, read Jennifer Walker's oped in the Austin-American Statesman. A study of water conservation programs conducted by the TWDB and GDS Associates (Quantifying the Effectiveness of Various Water Conservation Techniques in Texas, March 2002) found water conservation to be cost effective compared with traditional water-supply strategies, such as damming a river. While most cities in Texas are required to have written water conservation plans, all too frequently these plans have little substance and are not meaningfully implemented. The most effective water conservation plans include specific targets and outlines the tools and practices that will result in the increased water savings. back to topConservation Potential for Municipalities, Agriculture, and Industries 
Most water used in Texas goes to municipal, agricultural, and industrial uses. Each of these areas has untapped conservation potential. Irrigated agriculture is the biggest user of water in Texas. There is enormous potential for savings in the agricultural arena through new technologies such as laser-leveling of fields or efficient irrigation systems. These technologies promise significant water savings but the cost can be prohibitive for many farmers. Municipalities currently use roughly one-quarter of Texas' water supply. This category is expected to increase dramatically over the coming decades as population increases. Several cities around the country and in Texas have dramatically reduced their per person rates of water use. These cities have generally found that water conservation is the most cost-effective option. Manufacturing currently uses roughly 10% percent of Texas' available water supply. While each industry and industrial process is unique, there is potential for increased water efficiency. In one widely-publicized example, Texas Instruments built a state-of-the-art new silicon wafer fabrication facility in Richardson that was projected to use roughly one-third less water than the company's older plant. back to topWhat You Can Do There are many ways in which individuals can contribute to water savings both around their own household and in the political arena. Read below to find out more. I. Curb your water use!
II. Understand your local water system:
III. Encourage conservation where you live
back to topAdditional Resources From Policy to Reality: Maximizing Urban Water Conservation in Texas Environmental Defense Fund 2008 Efficient Water Use for Texas: Policies, Tools, and Management Strategies Prepared for Environmental Defense by TWRI, September 2002 Anticipating Future Demand and Supply By Peter H. Gleick, 2/3/2000 Water Efficiency Case Studies from California: The Reservoir that Toilets Built" By Mary Ann Dickinson back to top
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