Water conservation is a very important habit and it gains additional importance in the desert. When scarcity is coupled with an increasing population and a booming economy anywhere, it spells trouble for the infrastructure. Such a situation calls for conservation on a major scale with the participation of all. The amount of naturally available water in the desert makes life there very different from life in lush habitats with abundant resources. The difference brings home the underestimated value of water in our daily lives. However, using water smartly can have a positive influence on its availability and use - even in places with limited resources. The key factor, of course, is the willingness of all users- large and small – to take the necessary steps toward conservation. The example of Las Vegas is especially impressive because it has inversed the ratio between its water use and population growth. Its businesses have agreed to go the extra mile today for the sake of a more water-prosperous tomorrow.

However, individual efforts - and not simply that of large organizations - achieve the objective of water conservation. There are several things that households and individuals can do to help the cause. Primary among these is monitoring the daily water use that takes place in a number of ways including showers, washing dishes, cooking, flushing the toilets, washing cars, watering the lawn and so on. Water is routinely wasted in these activities. Although the individual wastage may not seem huge, together it can add up to millions of gallons of water wasted every year. But it is perfectly possible to prevent these losses by staying aware of one’s water needs and not crossing that limit. Another important way to conserve water is by diverting the wastewater generated from one activity to the requirements of another. For instance, washing the car on the lawn can simultaneously water the grass. This will eliminate or reduce the need for more water.

Conserving water is no longer an option for us. With the world population set to cross the 7 billion mark, depleting levels of groundwater and rapid climate change, our current water situation is set to worsen. This means that our own future needs and those of the future generation will not be met easily if we continue to use up our available water resources without thinking about their limits. Protecting our water bodies and purifying and re-using water are worthwhile activities, although not widespread ones. This practice has many economic and political obstacles in several parts of the world. Therefore, it is more important than ever for citizens to make sure that they make a conscientious use of this natural resource.

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