Partial Water Solution -- Start from basic rights.

From a residential standpoint, can we start by agreeing on a minimal amount each person needs for basic living?  Say, 3 flushes, 5 gallons for shower, 2 gallons for cooking, 5 gallons for cleaning, 5 gallons per week to wash clothes.  Whatever it is, for every man, woman, and child in a household, that should be granted for a flat and affordable, administrative fee (the water itself, free). Say $5 a month?  $10.  For every gallon after that, you pay a higher rate up to double the average usage amount.  When you hit triple, you pay a way higher rate.  Quadruple, way higher. If you want to use 10 times the amount of water a person needs to live a reasonable, basically hygienic life, you need to pay whatever it takes to provide the additional infrastructure (water, energy to move or process it, additional through-put, administer, etc.)

So if you just can't do without your own swimming pool, fine.  But you're going to pay for that luxury.  You want a big yard that sucks water?  You pay more.  You want to provide some of your produce from your garden and fruit from your trees?  Fine, you pay more.  You want to wash your car at home?  Pay for it.

That way, people who are saving absolutely, not compared to some arbitrary "historical usage" or whatever other unit not based on the human right to water, That way, the homeowners are incentivized to conserve or literally pay for the infrastructure to produce more fresh water for luxurious purposes.  And the economically struggling are not gouged.  The conservative minded can spend their money on other luxuries, like travel, solar panels, etc.