University of Leeds/Civil Eng. masthead

Water Conservation




Waste not,  Want not!

Much of the drinking water produced at water treatment plants is wasted, either by leakage in the distribution system, or by excessive use (either intentionally or not) by users (domestic, commercial, industrial). Water conservation is important as the number of people living in water-stressed and water-scarce areas of the world is increasing rapidly:


Population in water-stressed and water-scarce areas


Leakage


The major part of 'non-revenue water' or 'unaccounted-for water')

The Challenge of Reducing Non-Revenue Water (NRW) in Developing Countries − How the Private Sector Can Help: A Look at Performance-based Service Contracting (World Bank, 2006)

Non-revenue Water (Chapter 9 of Asian Water Supplies: Reaching the Urban Poor, ADB, 2003)

Challenges of managing non-revenue water: experience from a water utility in Uganda (WEDC Conference, 2003) 

The Status and Use of Drinking Water Conservation and Savings Devices in the Domestic and Commercial Environments in South Africa (Water Research Commission, 2008)

Leakage Management: Introduction to WRC Tools to Manage Non-Revenue Water (WRC SA, 2004)

The Reduction and Control of Unaccounted-for Water: Working Guidelines (World Bank, 1987)

Water Efficiency Handbook: Identifying opportunities to increase water use efficiency in industry, buildings, and agriculture in the Arab world (Arab Forum for Environment and Development, 2010)

Water: Sustainable Management of a Scarce Resource (Arab Forum for Environment and Development, 2010)

Reports by the IWA Water Loss Task Force (Water21, 2003−2004)
       Part 1. A practical approach to water loss reduction
       Part 2. Assessing non-revenue water and its components
       Part 3. Managing leakage by managing pressure
       Part 4. Leak detection practices and techniques
       Part 5. Managing leakage by district metered areas
       Part 6. Assessing real water losses
       Part 7. Apparent water loss control
       Part 8. Best practice performance indicators

Books: Integrated Water Meter Management (IWA Publishing, 2007)
             Water Auditing and Water Conservation (IWA Publishing, 2004)

In-house water conservation

Use of water-saving plumbing fixtures, such as low-flow taps and showerheads and low-volume flush toilets

The Conservation of Drinking-water Supplies: Techniques for Low-income Settlements (UNCHS, 1989)

Three-litre flush toilet    Three-litre flush toilet (Ifö Sanitär AB, Sweden)

Attitudes to conservation and water consumption (Environmental Science & Policy, 2008)

Hygienic toilet with fast flush and low water consumption (WTO, undated)

Book: The Water Book: find it, move it, store it, clean it... use it (CAT Publications, 2005)  Podcast

Water conservation planning in Austin, Texas (Water Practice & Technology, 2007)

Environmental beliefs and water conservation: An empirical study [in Mexico]  (Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2003)

Water stewardship in the desert: water conservation projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Water Practice & Technology, 2007)

Water conservation in arid and semi-arid regions (Desalination, 1989)

Effect of pricing policy on water conservation: a case study [in Abu Dhabi] (Water Policy, 2001)

Water management strategies in the Arabian Gulf countries (Developments in Water Science, 2003)

Behavioural attitudes towards water saving? Evidence from a study of environmental actions (Ecological Economics, 2006).  Summary.

Water Efficiency and Public Information for Action (WEPIA) Program 2000−2005: Final Report (USAID Jordan, 2005)

Mexico City's Water Supply: Improving the Outlook for Sustainability (National Academies Press, 1995)  Chapter 6: Water Demand Management.

Household Water Conservation (Penn State University, 2004)

Saving water in the home (savewater! Australian website)
    Video:
Installing a water flow controller [it is really this simple!]


EPA
WaterSense publications (2007):
        High-Efficiency Toilets  
        High-Efficiency Bathroom Sink Faucets [i.e., taps]
 

Book: Water Conservation Programs − A Planning Manual (AWWA, 2006)

Water Conservation Plan Guidelines (US EPA, 1998)

H2OUSE: Water Saver Home (California Urban Water Conservation Council website)

A global perspective on changing sustainable urban water supplies (Global and Planetary Change, 2006)

England & Wales:
Call for widespread water meters (BBC News, 2009) − see also Water meters and you (BBC News, 2009)

Water-Saving Gadgets to Cut Bills (European Water News, 2009) “Thousands of newly metered Thames Water customers are being offered free products in a bid to help them reduce their water consumption and bring down bills.  Water-saving devices, including aerated showerheads, water butts to collect rainwater for use outdoors and digital shower timers, will be given free of charge to customers who have had a meter fitted since April 2008.”

Role of water-saving devices in reducing urban water consumption in the mega-city of Tehran, case study: A residential complex (Journal of Environmental Health, 2008)

Comparing Price and Non-Price Approaches to Urban Water Conservation (National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper, 2008)

Life-cycle perspective on residential water conservation strategies (Journal of Infrastructure Systems, ASCE, 2010)

Also: Water Conserving Landscapes (CSBE website)

See also: Designing sewers for reduced wastewater flows (CIB, 2009)