Mitigating Drought

 Water Conservation Links

Water Suppliers/Municipalities
Water Conservation Campaigns/Programs
For Homeowners
For Kids and Teachers
General/Miscellaneous

Water Suppliers/Municipalities
To help water suppliers and other public agencies complete urban water management plans required under California law by the end of 2000, the California Department of Water Resources staff created a sample plan, checklists, and worksheets.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection provides both general guidelines for creating a public water supply drought contingency plan and a sample local water rationing plan.

Water Conservation Campaigns/Programs
Effective Information Campaigns That Meet the Needs of Diverse Audiences, written by communications specialists at Texas A&M University, details the approach that several Texas universities and agencies took in creating a public information campaign.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection offers guidelines for designing water conservation programs.

For those considering creating a water conservation program, it may be helpful to examine existing programs:
Water. Use It Wisely is a water conservation program created by an ad agency on behalf of several Arizona cities.
New Mexico’s water conservation program emphasizes education and public outreach; technical assistance, research, and demonstration; and policy development.

For Homeowners
Make Every Drop Count in Your Home and Make Every Drop Count on Your Yard, from the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, outline some of the ways homeowners can conserve water.

Casa del Agua in Tucson is a model water conservation house showcasing water-efficient equipment and methods that can be used by homeowners.

The City of Albuquerque Water Conservation Office has many ideas that homeowners can implement, such as how to conserve water inside and outside the home, how to xeriscape, and how to check for leaks.

The American Water Works Association offers some general water conservation tips for homes.

Home Use of Graywater, Rainwater Conserves Water—and May Save Money is an overview of graywater.

For Kids and Teachers
See NDMC’s site “Drought for Kids”

Learning to be Water Wise has a focus on conservation in the home.

WaterLearn, from WaterShare, the virtual water conservation center of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Mid-Pacific Region, provides activities and lesson plans for students and teachers.

The Delaware River Basin Commission provides links to activities for kids and teacher resources.

WaterWiser has links to educational materials.

General/Miscellaneous
The American Water Works Association’s WaterWiser site serves as a clearinghouse on water conservation and efficiency information.

Maryland Department of the Environment also has a list of water conservation links.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection has water-saving tips for various industries/groups.

© 2003 National Drought Mitigation Center