将保护纳入总体规划涉及收入损失的风险、长期储蓄的不确定性，以及实施项目所需的运营预算增加。然而，公用事业公司应该看到成本的净下降，因为适当设计和实施的保护计划有助于最大限度地提高现有供应的效率，从而降低运营和维护费用以及资本成本。保护也有助于满足环保人士和监管机构的要求，他们的合作可能需要获得未来的水项目。作者构建了一个将保护与总体规划相结合的案例，并解释了如何做到这一点。以科罗拉多州博尔德市为例；列出了针对不同消费部门的具体措施。给出了持续改进的技巧。包括12个参考文献、表格和图表。

Incorporating conservation into a master plan involves a risk of lost revenues, uncertainty as to exact long-term savings, and increased operating budgets to implement the programs. Utilities should, however, see a net decrease in costs because properly designed and implemented conservation programs help maximize efficiency of existing supplies, which decreases operation and maintenance expenses and capital costs. Conservation can also help satisfy environmentalists and regulators whose cooperation may be needed to obtain future water projects. The author builds a case for integrating conservation and master planning and goes on to explain how to do it. The City of Boulder, Colorado is used as an example; specific measures targeting various consumer sectors are listed. Tips for ongoing refinement are given. Includes 12 references, tables, figures.