Water efficiency

courtesy : Water efficiency

Importance

According to the Second UN World Water Development Report, two-thirds of the global population will live in areas of water stress by 2025 if present levels of consumption continue. Increasing human demand for water coupled with the effects of climate change mean that the future of water supply is not secure. At present, 2.6 billion people do not have safe drinking water. Added to this are the changes in climate, population growth and lifestyles. The changes in human lifestyle and activities require more water per capita. This tightens the competition for water amongst agricultural, industrial, and human consumption.

Organizations

In most countries, people have recognized this growing water scarcity problem. Water efficiency, while not yet a major priority in the agendas of governments, has been a growing concern. Global organizations like the World Water Council, the International Water Management Institute, and UNESCO have been promoting water efficiency alongside water conservation.

The Alliance for Water Efficiency, Waterwise, the California Urban Water Conservation Council, and Smart WaterMark in Australia, and the WaterBucket in Canada, are some non-governmental organizations that promote or support water efficiency at national and regional levels.

Governmental organizations such as Environment Canada, the EPA in the USA, the Environment Agency in the UK, DEWR in Australia, among others, have recognized and created policies and strategies to raise water efficiency awareness. The EPA created its WaterSense program to encourage water efficiency in the United States through the use of a special label on consumer products.

The PRC has put forward a 5-year plan (2010-2015) at a cost of Y500 billion ($78.1 billion) to Y600 billion ($93.7 billion) to upgrade most of the 4,000 water plants in China. The government hopes these steps will help to better conserve water and meet demands.

The Indian state of Haryana has implemented State Rural Water Policy 2012; under this policy individual household metered connections would be provided to 50% of the rural population by 2017, to stop water wastage in villages.

A part of the industry sector has also recognized the benefits of water efficiency. Such journals as the Water Efficiency Journal from the USA, Water Efficient Solutions Journal and Water Energy and Environment Magazine from the UK, all mainly directed towards the industrial and professional sectors, attest to the growing consciousness of the need to develop more water efficient solutions.

# International Water Management Institute

# water efficient

#ISBC