Untapped Potential: An Assessment of Municipal and Industrial Water Efficiency Potential in the United States

Water is one of our most precious and vital natural resources and is fundamental for human and ecological health and economic prosperity. Yet, water scarcity is a growing risk for communities across the United States, due in part to natural hydrologic variability, population and economic growth, and the intensifying effects of climate change. The good news is that over the past several decades, communities across the United States have improved the efficiency of their water use, enabling growth and economic activity nationwide. Many communities have seen marked reductions in the amount of water used per person. For some, these reductions have been substantial enough that total water demand has peaked and declined even as the population and economy continue to grow. Even as traditional water sources are stressed, the opportunity to reduce demand through water efficiency remains both vast and largely untapped.