Increased water efficiency is a way of easing water demand pressure/water user conflict by more effectively utilizing every unit of existing supply. Efficient water use can lead to the overall reduction of total water consumption, to greater economic productivity, or other benefits (e.g., households served, crop yield, or revenue) per unit of water.

Developing, adopting, and/or disseminating innovative technologies (e.g., water-efficient industrial processes, cooling systems, drip irrigation, commercial/residential fixtures and appliances), encouraging changes in management practices and behavior that lead to increase efficiency (e.g., leak monitoring, drought-tolerant landscaping, etc.), reducing losses/leaks within the water system, advancing commercial incentives that promote water efficiency, or collecting and sharing data on water use that can inform organizations’ and people’s water use decisions.