Many American communities are facing reduced water supplies and some have implemented water conservation measures. Multifamily property owners must balance the costs of implementing water conservation measures with the need to provide affordable housing for America's families.

HUD and the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) have published this guide to help owners and managers of multi-family properties address these challenges through water conservation. This publication describes techniques property managers may use to conserve water, with approaches requiring modest investment and minimal construction. By describing options in a non-technical manner, owners and managers will be able to select the most appropriate conservation measures for their particular situation. 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, Retrofitting Apartment Buildings To Conserve Water: A Guide for Managers, Engineers, and Contractors, directed to engineers, contractors, and others responsible for the actual design and implementation of water conservation retrofit strategies is also available from HUD USER.