4.2.7—Industrial water conservation

Food-system conservation can reduce evaporation, recycle water, lower crop demand or shift consumption toward less water-intensive products.

Drip irrigation targets roots; greenhouses can capture rain and recirculate water; aquaponics combines fish and vegetable production in a reused-water system; drought-resistant crops require less irrigation; switching toward vegetarian food production can reduce livestock-related water demand. Compare water per useful output and total basin withdrawal.

Drip irrigation may save water per kilogram, but if saved water expands the cropped area, basin withdrawal may not fall.

A drought-tolerant crop; drip changes delivery losses, not the crop’s intrinsic demand.

Efficiency per unit is not the same as total basin conservation.