Many American communities are facing reduced water supplies and some have implemented water conservation measures. Engineers, managers, and contractors will be called upon to help apartment owners and managers examine their options for implementing water conservation measures on their properties. While a number of approaches to conserve water can be integrated into a property during design and construction, retrofit options are frequently limited by cost and complexity.

HUD and the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) have published this guide to assist property owners and their agents (managers, engineers, contractors, and maintenance staff) in reducing water use in apartment buildings. This guidebook explains available options, provides a framework to work with, and summarizes what managers, engineers, and contractors need to know to select the water conservation retrofit strategies that best suit the property in question. By describing options that can be applied cost effectively, designers, and installers will be able to present options for water conservation to the property owner so they may select measures. Although the primary benefit of conserving water will be a reduction in the costs of operating the building, secondary benefits may include higher property values, some energy savings, and improved relations with residents.

A companion guidebook Overview of Retrofit Strategies: A Guide for Apartment Owners and Managers describing options in a non-technical manner for apartment owners and managers is also available from HUD USER.