Barriers to Water Conservation in the Southwestern Landscape

Abstract

The growing demand for water, coupled with high outdoor water use and declining water supplies in the American Southwest adds uncertainty to the future of the region’s water availability. To increase the adoption of water conservation in the landscape, past studies have focused on finding what barriers slow down progress in this area, though the majority focus on homeowner perspectives, communication issues, and the impacts of public policies. Most agree that existing policies need to aim for higher reductions in water use, that public participation and communication be inclusive and more effective, and that educational programs be put in place, but this does not explain why these projects are not the standard. This study used interview and secondary data to find expert-recommended solutions to known barriers to implementation of these landscapes. The findings suggest that collaboration between different levels of government and stakeholders is one of the keys to developing the right conditions to make adoption more widespread. Moreover, many of the existing barriers can be mitigated together with holistic approaches. Numerous solutions are compiled and categorized under four major barrier types: Professional Practice, Political, Social, and Economic.