Public Works officials in Sioux Falls are giving credit to a conservation program for holding water consumption steady, even as the city has grown.

The effort begun in 2003 has several aspects, including one called the Plumbing Retrofit Rebate Program.

It saves water for customers who install fixtures like low-flow toilets and high-efficiency washing machines.

Public Works Director Mark Cotter says the average daily water demand has held steady at 16 million gallons, even as the city's population has grown by 30,000.

Water conservation is a good thing--Cotter says developing a major collector well, that produces between 1 and 1.5 million gallons a day, can cost upwards of $2 million.

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