But downstream users could pass that on.
"I get hollered at by the downstream users for my conservation practices.
When watersheds are stripped and paved over, downstream users must pay for water filtering and washed-out bridges and roads.
Flows in the Upper Blue Nile could drop by up to 5%, potentially severely affecting downstream users in Egypt, she says.
"According to some water lawyers, if we diminish the amount that we're putting down our drains then we're diminishing the water for the downstream users," said Liz Gardener, the manager of water conservation for Denver Water.
The initiative for responsible mining assurance involves mining companies, downstream users of mining products such as jewellers, non-government organisations, communities and workers to put in place standards and verification of good practice in mining.
Modern, efficient irrigation techniques can cause crop yields per acre-foot to rise, but also increase water consumption, so downstream users who relied on excess from upstream the non-consumed fraction now have to find water somewhere else.
State water laws give the downstream users first priority, and two years ago, with Texas struggling through its driest year ever, the L.C.R.A. released roughly 120 billion gallons of water to rice farmers.
Modern, efficient irrigation techniques can cause crop yields per acre-foot to rise, but also increase water consumption, so downstream users who relied on excess from upstream — the non-consumed fraction — now have to find water somewhere else.
So the same water that Atlanta has to use for its municipal water supply is the water that upstream users need to support recreation and flood control, and downstream users need to support agriculture, urban growth and a very lucrative fishing industry".
Atlanta has responded with a major public relations offensive, painting the city as a good steward that has carried out a water plan, treats its sewage until it is drinkable and, during the recent drought, put conservation measures in place when downstream users did not.
