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Click on the image to join our Ning network and learn about how to leverage social media for water conservation

I’ve been on the water conservation circuit lately expounding on the benefits of using social media to help save water. I just returned from working with the gracious folks at the North Texas Regional Water Symposium, sponsored by Dallas Water, North Texas Municipal Water District. and Tarrant Regional Water District.

It was an engaged crowd of nearly 200 water professionals, and they were a pleasure to work with. My social media presentation, “Giving Your Consumers a Voice: Conservation and Social Media,” raised many great questions. It’s always difficult to continue a meaningful conversation in a conference setting. So I’ve decided to launch a Ning network that maybe one of the narrowest niches going: Water Conservation & Social Media. You can join the conversation at h2osocialmedia.ning.com.

The idea here is to use social media to share best practices in using social media to help water conservationists help consumers save water.

The network features blogs, video, photos, a chat room and relevant Twitter streams focused on promoting wise water use. We’ll talk about ways you can sell social media upstream to management. We’ll explore best practices in creating a doable social media strategy given tight financial and personnel resources. We’ll share ideas on how to activate your network. And we’ll all commiserate about our trials and tribulations of working in this new and powerful communications environment.

So if you have an interest learning how social media can help promote water conservation, and you’re open to sharing your efforts, please join us at h2osocialmedia.ning.com.

It’s FREE. And just imagine what it might cost you if you don’t join the conversation.

Technically, the nation is using less water in 2005 than it did in 1975 despite a 30 percent population increase over that same time. Good news right? Of course. But, according to the same Geological Survey report, human consumption has also steadily increased over that time.

That can be expected considering the population increase, and Andrew Nusca and Larry Dignan of “Smart Planet” do a great job of breaking down the survey here. The bottom line is the downturn in water-use has stemmed from more effecient technologies in irrigation systems and power plants. This, of course, is great news but we can make it even better by continuing to do our part as consumers. It may not seem like a low flow shower head or reusing water from the dishes makes a difference, but it does. In fact, it makes a big difference.

The last 30 years are obviously a step in the right direction but water is more scarce now than ever and it’s going to take all of our efforts to continue to make a difference. It’s easy. Start here and spread the word.