Conservation as a Critically Needed Water Supply Source

Proceedings of the 2003 Georgia Water Resources Conference, held April 23-24, 2003, at the University of Georgia.Despite increasing controversy over water supply and water quality in Georgia, there is no state-mandated approach to conservation. Since three sectors (agriculture, power production, and industry) dominate water demand, using over 80% of the total (billions of gallons of water a year), even marginal improvements in water efficiency by these sectors could reap huge economic and environmental benefits. Yet, the state’s emphasis on water conservation promotion is in domestic use, which has limited potential compared with uses for industry, agriculture, and power production. The feasibility of achieving such advancements is unknown, but given the costs and environmental risks of meeting accelerating water demand, comprehensive exploration and assessment of conservation alternatives is amply justified. The paper further develops this argument and proposes policy initiatives for achieving much needed water conservation measures in Georgia