Per Ashton Crusher:
I've often wondered how much water is used by people rinsing out stuff
to be recycled. Water is in short supply in many areas and the amount
of water used to clean that trash must be huge.

In all the discussions, press releases, documentaries, and other stuff I
have seen/heard/read nobody has addressed the difference in water
supplies.

If Person A is getting their water from some aquifer that was layed down
a bazillion years ago, is not getting replenished, and is slowly being
drained by use... that's one thing, and maybe conservation measures
above-and-beyond pricing could be appropriate.

But if Person B is getting their water from a major river running
through an urban area - like the Delaware River feeds Philadelphia - who
cares how much water they use? Worst-case, "wasting" water could be
construed as wasting energy in that the purification plants have to work
more.... best case, "wasting" water could be construed as helping out
with cleaning up a dirty river.

This is from somebody unencumbered by any real knowledge... maybe
somebody who knows can comment.
--
Pete Cresswell