The term water efficiency appears frequently on our Waterless Blog, but many readers are not entirely sure what it means. Is it the same as water conservation, water savings, or water sustainability? Not exactly.
Water efficiency is a relatively modern term, first introduced in the United States in the late 1980s. It was used most often by water professionals and government agencies discussing water-related issues.
The term is closely related to the broader idea of water conservation, but it places greater emphasis on using water more effectively for the long term. This means steps, methods, and water-using products are adopted that use far less water than their older counterparts — or no water at all.
However, two important milestones helped give the term more credibility and prevalence:
In 1991, the American Water Works Association adopted a policy statement on "Water Efficiency and Conservation," helping cement the term in official documents.
In 1992, the Energy Policy Act created the first national standards requiring water efficiency in certain products, giving the term real institutional weight.
These developments helped make water efficiency a recognized term, and it has remained part of the water-sustainability conversation ever since.
How the term evolved
Historically, people talked mostly about water conservation — meaning reducing waste or using less water overall. Over time, "water efficiency" became the preferred term for getting the same task done with less water, especially in engineered systems like toilets, showerheads, dishwashers, and irrigation equipment.
Why the term emerged
"Water efficiency" gained traction because it fit a more technical, performance-based approach than conservation alone. It shifted the focus from simply saving water through behavior change to designing products, fixtures, and systems that accomplish the same function with minimal — or no — water use.
Practical meaning of water efficiency today
In modern usage, the term usually means minimizing the amount of water needed to accomplish a task or result. That framing is common in sustainability, plumbing standards, green building, and utility programs.
In one sentence water efficiency means
The history of "water efficiency" is essentially the history of water-saving ideas becoming more technical, measurable, and product-focused — especially from the early 1990s onward. Interestingly, Waterless Co., Inc. was founded in 1991, which tells us that when it comes to water efficiency, we were in the right place at the right time.
-Klaus Reichardt, CEO and Founder of Waterless Co., Inc, marketers of waterless urinals and other restroom products.
