What is conservation?

Conservation is often perceived simply as “using less,” but most water conservation activities affect the state of the system in three other ways: First, these activities change the time in which the resource is used: for example, a storage dam changes water flows from the time of surplus in the spring to the summer, when water is scarce and has a higher use value. Second, reducing use through more efficient irrigation makes it possible to move the water saved to another location where its value in use is higher. Third, conservation is related to quality, the concentration of existing salts in irrigation water and addition of salts from the soil. Since concentrated salts cause taste problems and shorten equipment life, users of recycled irrigation water and urban wastewater operate at a cost disadvantage in comparison with those in other areas without these problems.