Smart Water
Welcome to the Smart Water Report.
The Smart Water report provides an in-depth comparison on the efficiency of urban water use by over a dozen cities in the arid southwest. It describes how unchecked growth in urban water use threatens nearby river systems, such as Colorado’s Gunnison Basin, and New Mexico’s Middle Rio Grande. The report also summarizes current state-of-the-art practices in conserving water and in using existing water supplies more efficiently, highlighting areas where there is room for improvement.
Smart Water makes it clear there are many tools, not fully tapped, that can dramatically improve urban water management. One avenue is to reduce urban demand for water by planting drought-resistant lawns and installing drip irrigation systems. Upgrading toilets and appliances with water-saving devices offers additional savings. Such conservation measures alone could make up for a water shortfall projected for the Denver metropolitan area by 2045. It appears that one of the clearest paths to improved efficiency is through water rate structures that make use expensive for water wasters while offering discounts to low water users. Water conservation would also be fostered through incentives such as rebate programs. Select the chapter you wish to view by clicking on the link below. Each chapter is a PDF; the size of each is noted after the chapter name. Use your "back" button to return to this page.
- Smart Water Brochure (538 kb .pdf file)
- Foreword & Table of Contents (363 kb .pdf file)
- Executive Summary (412 kb .pdf file)
- Chapter 1: Environmental Issues Related to Water Supply & Growth (2.1 mb .pdf file)
- Chapter 2: Water Use Efficiency: State-of-the-Art (1.2 mb.pdf file )
- Chapter 3: Comparative Analysis of Water Providers in the Southwest: Water Use and Demand-Side Efficiency (1.5 mb.pdf file)
- Chapter 4: Urban Sprawl: Impacts on Urban Water Use (346 kb .pdf file)
- Chapter 5: Recommendations (531 kb .pdf file)
- Appendix A: Smart Water Survey and Data Analysis Methodology (53 kb .pdf file)
- Appendix B: City-By-City Analysis: Summary of Systems and 2001 Programs and Policies (1.7 mb .pdf file)