Best Practice Guide

Local Governments

Water Use

Public Education

Implement an employee water-awareness program.  Develop a city/community policy commitment. Create awareness of water conservation practices through posters, newsletters, booklets, website content, and speakers. Exchange water-saving ideas with other industries, businesses, or local governments near your community. Educate employees about the merits of conserving water at home as well as work.

Sponsor an awards program for businesses with excellent conservation programs.  Ask the mayor or another prominent official to participate in the awards.  Ask each entrant to specify the reduction of water use resulting from conservation measures utilizing process modification, retrofits, equipment replacement, reuse or recycling, or preventative maintenance, rescheduling, and other methods.

Incorporate conservation messages into water bills and urge private utilities to do the same.  These messages can be printed directly on the water bill for cost savings. Messages might include a comparison between the water use of an individual and his or her neighbors, or between an individual's current water use and that of the previous year.

Offer educational water-conservation programs in schools.  Such an effort will help to save water in the long-term as well as the short-term.  Obtain approval for the water-education program from the superintendent of schools for the community. Organize water utility efforts, estimating the number of teachers and students expected to participate in the water-education program. Coordinate a teacher training, organizing distribution of curriculum materials to teachers, and monitoring and following the success of the program. Make adjustments as needed to maximize student contact.