There is a water shortage in America, and it’s hitting the nation’s West Coast particularly hard this year. California, one of the biggest food producers with one of the largest populations in the United States, is facing one of the most drastic water shortages in recorded history, and no part of the state is immune. Governor Jerry Brown actually declared an official state of emergency in January, and state officials are faced with the task to prepare for the inevitable. Now the inevitable is here and California drought conditions have reached a tipping point. With soaring summer temperatures overtaking the state and even contributing to wildfires, Californians are faced with tough choices at home, work, school and wherever else they use water. State officials are requiring all citizens to do their part and there are even fines for water wasters during these dry times in the Golden State. With the ongoing water shortage costing California money and jobs, and threatening the health and safety of its citizens, water conservation is more important than ever. Wherever you live, conserving water is more important than ever.

The Cost of the California Drought

Researchers from the University of California, Davis, Center for Watershed Science recently completed a report that shows just how much the ongoing drought is going to cost the state. According to Business Insider, researchers estimate the current water shortage will ultimately cost California about 17,000 jobs and  total  $2.2 billion. At their press conference in Washington, D.C., revealing these startling numbers was hard to ignore for politicians, journalists, water conservationists, environmentalists, economists, businesspeople and Californians alike. After three years of drought, and with 100 percent of the state declared in an official state of drought emergency since May of this year, the numbers certainly don’t look good. As the largest producer of nuts and produce in the nation, and one of the largest producers of cream and milk products, this drought affects a great number of people. But water conservation is an issue regardless of whether you live in California or any other drought-ridden state. There are limited resources to go around, including the life-sustaining resource of clean and safe water. Conserving water is simply the smart thing to do wherever you may roam.

Water Conservation Efforts Hit Home

The good news is that Californians can conserve water at home in many ways, from installing new water filters to changing their landscaping practices. To ensure that residents take the drought seriously, though, state officials are also implementing emergency water-conservation measures that limit the amount of water people can use in and around their homes for 270 days. Water conservation at home will essentially be the law, and failing to obey the emergency rules could lead to a $500 fine. Doing things like running a non-recirculating ornamental water fountain or cleaning your sidewalk with a hose will be officially off-limits while the regulations are in effect.  

In addition to making certain behaviors off-limits, officials are also encouraging other types of water conservation at home.

Replacing water-wasting systems such as water softeners that waste thousands of gallons per month and reverse osmosis systems that waste between 3–8 gallons of water for every gallon of drinkable water is a great place to start. Water softeners are particularly wasteful, as they load  the water with sodium, making the water unsuitable for reuse or recycling after being released into the water waste stream. Here are a few more tips that can help people conserve water at home, work and school:

• Replace inefficient water filters and remove water softeners
• Take shorter showers
• Fix leaky pipes and faucets
• Install water-saving fixtures and appliances
• Check and adjust your sprinkler systems to avoid waste
• Shorten the rinse cycle of your dishwasher (if possible)
• Turn the water off while lathering your hands for washing
• Water plants in early morning/evening to avoid evaporation
• Consider a rock garden or desert plants for your front yard instead of grass
• Choose businesses known for conservation, such as carwashes that use recycled water

We all know how important water is—we use it every day for drinking, preparing food, bathing and cleaning—but it’s safe to say that everyone can learn a thing or two from the current drought in California. Whether we’re drinking pure filtered water at home, boiling pasta or rice for dinner, using clean water to bathe, flushing the toilet or washing clothes, we couldn’t do it without water. Granted, giving up drinking water is clearly not an option, but so many of the other ways we use water can be limited to be less wasteful. Avoiding fines for water wasters shouldn’t be the only reason to think about conserving water. If we use our water wisely, we can make it through this very serious drought.