Economize vs save

[sibu]

Hi
Are the following examples equivalents?
1. We need to save water.
2. We need to economize on water.
Dictionaries give "not waste" for the first and "spend less" for the second.

 

[Pedro y La Torre]

Economize would be used less often in my part of the world vis-à-vis water; I would normally economize on things like energy, but save water. In Ireland, we do not (yet) pay for water so perhaps this colours my thinking.

 

[Franco-filly]

thefree dictionary definition is:

economize, economise [ɪˈkɒnəˌmaɪz]vb(often foll by on) to limit or reduce (expense, waste, etc.)

Which would make your examples synonymous.

 

[sibu]

Thanks for these comments.