Residential water conservation: Application and relevance in British Columbi

Water conservation can cost effectively decrease water demand by reducing operating costs and the need for additional water and wastewater infrastructure. This paper examines residential water conservation in British Columbia to determine its effectiveness and the potential for additional conservation. It outlines the political framework and water supply system requirements affecting conservation. Tools to implement water conservation and various conservation measures used in North America are reviewed. A framework is presented for incorporating conservation into the water planning process and then used to evaluate programs in five British Columbia communities. The review demonstrates that water conservation measures are effective and that increased conservation efforts are warranted. The paper concludes with the problems facing conservation efforts related to the low cost of water and its inappropriate pricing structure. Various measures to support conservation in British Columbia in are highlighted in the areas of education and communication, true costing, codes and standards, and government leadership.