If you keep up with the news, you know that towards the beginning of the year, California State Governor, Jerry Brown, declared a drought state of emergency. And on April 1st, the California Department of Water Resources measured the statewide water content of Sierra snowpack at its lowest levels than any other years on record since 1950.
Why is this important? Well, when the snowpack begins to melt, it will begin to flow through streams and reservoirs, eventually providing people with the water that is used every day.
In fact, according to the United States Geological Survey, the snowpack provides about one-third of the water used by California’s cities and farms. But with the snowpack being low, that abundance of water flow becomes limited, effecting wildlife, crops and in turn – us.
Although this might be reported as a problem for the state of California, the possibility of a drought is a worldwide problem. With the unpredictable climate change, a drought can occur in any city and any country. And it’s up to us to act now and not wait until a drought emergency is declared.
There are several things that we can do not only at home, but at work to make sure we are all doing our part for human-kind.
Check it out.
Maybe you’re company is already efficient with saving water (kudos to you!), but the only way to find out is to check it out! Contact your building’s water provider to do an assessment on the water that is being used. They can even provide some suggestions for how you can save water based on your city, business size and resources.
Regulate your faucet water.
A great way to control the water that comes from your office’s sink is to install faucet aerators. This tool is an affordable way to reduce the water consumption as it slows and regulates the stream that comes out from the faucet (and it can help your company save money, too).
If it's broken - fix it.
You might not think that a leaking toilet or faucet loses that much water, but it does add up. According to Thames Water, a leaking toilet can use as much as 400 liters of water each day.So search for your tool box or pick up the phone and get to those repairs you’ve been procrastinating.
Regulate your green grass.
With the nicer weather, a lot more businesses are taking care of their landscape and although we want the grass to always look greener, we need to keep in mind what that work will take. Place a monthly water budget on your landscape work based on the water needs of your plant life.
Shut it down.
If water isn’t needed in a certain areas of your building – shut it off. Shutting off water to unused areas of your facility will eliminate unmonitored use.
The power of knowledge.
We’ve said it before, power is knowledge! Put together a small pamphlet or an email telling your employees how they can save water at work. Include tips like, shutting the faucet off in between washing dishes, waiting for a full load before running the dishwasher and scrubbing your hands at the sink with the water off.
As we said above, the current drought problem in California can affect us all, so why not change our habits now in hopes to prevent issues that might come in the future. Small adjustments can really make a big difference.