The paper discusses water use research completed for the Inquiry on Federal Water Policy (Pearse et al. 1985). The methodology for the research was based upon a modified input-output model, incorporating three major dimensions of industrial water use: production levels, production technology and water use practices. To cope with the uncertainties of water use projection, a series of five scenarios, or alternative futures, was constructed, including one based upon a concerted national effort toward water conservation. A rudimentary attempt was made also to consider water demands for in-stream uses in comparing drainage area water supply: use balances.Water withdrawals in 1981, the study#x2019;s base year, totalled about 37,500 million cubic metres (mcm), with a recycling ratio averaging about 1.4 and a consumptive use rate of about 10 percent of intake. These latter ratios vary widely amongst industries and regions. By the year 2011, projected water uses range between 48,000#x2002;mcm and 90,000#x2002;mcm, depending upon the scenario considered. For all scenarios except that for conservation, the growth rate for water use is greater than the rate for the general population. The implication of this finding for several Canadian drainage basins is that substantial water conservation efforts may be required in the future.
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