本文概述了节水对各州的益处，并给出了将节水计划纳入州水政策的方法。节约用水可能是帮助各州应对各种水量和水质问题所造成的日益增加的供水压力的唯一选择。保护计划可以通过提供额外的水来满足不断增长的市政和工业需求，从而使各州受益；维持农业经营； 为日益增长的娱乐需求提供水源；减少长期供水短缺；通过增加和定期的水流保护濒危物种和河岸地区；通过减少地下水抽取量和地表水径流来维持水质；以及增加流量，以符合州际河流契约的要求。尽管有好处，但将节水计划纳入国家水政策必须考虑几个重要因素: 水的再利用和回流、水量和水质的关系、节约用水的所有权、节约用水的使用、环境和水文影响，以及一些社会因素。作者最后建议将节水计划纳入所有州水资源管理决策，以帮助确保我们的水资源供应对子孙后代是安全的。

This paper provides a summary of the benefits water conservation has for the states and gives methods for integrating water conservation programs into state water policy. Water conservation may be the only alternative in helping states deal the increasing water supply pressures caused by a variety of water quantity and quality problems. Conservation programs can benefit states by providing additional water to meet growing municipal and industrial demands; maintaining agricultural operations; providing water for increasing recreational needs; reducing chronic water supply shortages; protecting endangered species and riparian areas through increased and regular streamflows; maintaining water quality through decreased groundwater withdrawals and reduced surface water runoff; and increasing streamflows to comply with interstate stream compact requirements. Although beneficial, integrating water conservation programs into State Water Policy must take into consideration several important factors: water reuse and return flows, relationship of water quantity and water quality, ownership of conserved water, use of conserved water, environmental and hydrologic impacts, and several social considerations. The author concludes with a recommendation for the incorporation of water conservation programs into all state water management decisions to help assure that our water supply is secure for future generations.