Water Conservation and Marine Water Quality

Clean water is a resource that is taken for granted. Pure water is necessary for growing food, manufacturing goods, disposing of wastes, and for our own consumption. Water conservation is most frequently thought of as a measure to protect against water shortages. While protecting water supplies is an excellent reason to practice conservation, there is another important benefit of water conservation – improved water quality in the marine environment.

The link between water use and marine pollution may not be immediately apparent, yet water use is a considerable source of pollution to our coastal waters. When water is used for household, industrial, agricultural, or other purposes, it is degraded and polluted in the process. Called ‘wastewater,. this byproduct of human activities may carry nutrients, biological and chemical contaminants, floating wastes, or other pollutants. Upon discharge, wastewater ultimately finds its way into groundwater or surface waters, contributing to their pollution.

To view the full water conservation/water quality fact sheet, download the pdf document