As long as water is sold for far less than it's value, there is no incentive to conserve and the future looks grim as our aquifers dry up and rivers run to thei

As long as water is sold for far less than it's value, there is no incentive to conserve and the future looks grim as our aquifers dry up and rivers run to their maximum. And no, your low-water appliances aren't helping much, as consumers only use 11% of water in the U.S. As water prices are set by municipalities, there is little incentive to raise prices, the politicians who control them don't have any interest beyond their next election. There is likely to develop a semblance of a "Market Price" for water in the U.S. which will inevitably be higher. As far as selling water rights, the biggest danger here is that the governments that currently own them will sell them for less than they are actually worth, primarily because there isn't yet a true "Market Price" for water. Or, of course, corruption.