Conservation
Conserving water allows limited supplies to meet the needs of a growing population. The 1980 Groundwater Management Act mandated water conservation for all groundwater users within the state's Active Management Areas (see Water Rights). Municipal pumpers must reduce per-capita water usage rates, farmers must use less water to irrigate their crops, and mines and other industrial water users must become more water efficient.There are many ways to conserve water. Agricultural irrigators are laser-levelling fields and lining irrigation ditches. Industry has increased the number of times water is recycled through cooling towers, copper separation processes, and other proc esses.
Municipal water conservation programs include detecting and repairing leaks, installing more water efficient plumbing fixtures and appliances, replacing turf and other water-thirsty vegetation with drought-tolerant plants, sculpting landscapes to harv est rainfall, and irrigating with drip systems instead of sprinklers. Individuals play an important role in conservation by using water carefully around the house.
Another approach to conserving supplies of high-quality surface and groundwater is to treat and use lower-quality waters, such as sewage water and agricultural tailwater. Treated sewage, known as effluent, has become a valuable resource. This depend able and growing supply increasingly is used to irrigate non-food crops, golf courses, parks and school yards, and in industrial cooling towers.
Issues Summary