Water management strategies
Big idea: There are many ways to increase water supply or reduce demand. The best approach depends on local conditions, available technology, and economic resources.
Increasing supply
- Dams and reservoirs — store water for dry periods (but displace communities, block fish migration)
- Desalination — removes salt from seawater (expensive, energy-intensive)
- Groundwater extraction — pumping from aquifers (risk of depletion, subsidence)
- Water transfer schemes — moving water between basins (expensive, environmental impacts)
- Rainwater harvesting — collecting precipitation (low-tech, local scale)
Reducing demand
- Drip irrigation — delivers water directly to plant roots (reduces waste by 30-70%)
- Water-efficient appliances — low-flow toilets, showerheads, washing machines
- Water pricing — higher prices encourage conservation
- Greywater recycling — reusing sink/shower water for gardens
- Public education — awareness campaigns reduce waste
- Fixing leaks — up to 30% of water lost in old infrastructure
When asked for management strategies, give a mix of supply-side and demand-side options. For each, add one quick drawback (cost, energy use, environmental impacts) to show evaluation.