In traditional water resources management, water managers forecast population growth and economic development to determine future levels of demand. If there is a projected supply deficit, traditional water managers rely on large-scale water supply projects to transport water over large distances to bridge that gap. Over time, however, these supply-side solutions have become unfavourable due to their environmental, economic, and political costs. In response, urban water managers are transitioning to demand management to reduce consumption patterns, with the eventual goal of decoupling water consumption from economic and population growth.
Demand management aims to change water users' attitudes, culture, and practices towards water and reduce consumption patterns to achieve a targeted level of consumption. In addition to the numerous environmental and economic benefits, demand management ensures the equitable use of water by all users.
This webinar discusses the various price and non-price demand management tools available. The webinar then provides case studies and best practices of demand management strategies being implemented by cities in the Global South and North. Finally, the webinar discusses various financing tools available to scale-up demand management.
