NONRESIDENTIAL WATER CONSERVATION - A GOOD INVESTMENT

Business and industrial (nonresidential) water conservation is becoming a major area of emphasis for water utilities throughout the United States. Four factors have led to die growth of nonresidential conservation programs: (1) residential customers who have been asked to conserve expect the business community to do its share as well, (2) recent conservation mandates in several states require that conservation programs include all customer types, (3) a relatively small percentage reduction in nonresidential water use constitutes meaningful demand and drought management strategies, and (4) nonresidential water conservation is cost-effective. Some of the major areas of water use and the best available conservation technologies and their applications in the business, industrial, governmental, and institutional sectors are outlined. Program components used by states and municipalities are discussed, and the trends in nonresidential conservation are examined.