Why is it crucial to use water efficiently?

Five important reasons are listed below:

1. Water doesn't equal drinking water.
   In order to be potable (i.e. fit for consumption) water must be transported and cleaned. After use it is again transported and treated back to drinking water standard. Hence while the amount of water doesn't change, its quality changes dramatically. Drinking water is very precious and should be treated as such.
2. Drinking water requires energy
   Lots of energy goes into cleaning, transporting and heating or cooling drinking water. Thus using less drinking water automatically means using less energy as well as reducing CO₂ emissions. So even if you live in a water-rich part of the world, using drinking water efficiently is a necessity. This doesn't mean you should drink less water but reduce the amount of water you waste.
3. Water is unequally distributed
   In some parts of the world there are droughts (temporary or permanent, depending on the season, the climate etc.), in others there is more than enough water. One season of less rain than usual can be enough to turn a water-rich region into a water-scarce region.
4. Due to a growing population, demand for water goes up
   In principle, the more people living in one place, the smaller the available amount of water per person.
5. Demand for drinking water and on infrastructure goes up in large cities due to urbanisation
   Around the world, people move from rural into urban areas, increasing demand for water. The population grows so rapidly in many cities that councils and town planners don't manage to build water pipes and canals at the required pace.

These are just some of the reasons why we look to promote water efficiencies to enable people to use as much water as you need, but as little as possible.