Once again, California and many other western states are experiencing severe drought conditions. This is becoming a broken record, as it seems to be happening every year.  Some measures are taken each year to address the situation; we all cut back 15 percent or more, and then once winter comes, we go back to our old water-using habits. In California and most of the west, it is during the winter months that the most rain falls.

But this year is different. Not only are drought conditions building, but the western half of the country is also experiencing scorching weather, hotter than ever before. This is climate change. Whether man’s behavior causes it or not is no longer an issue. It’s here, and we must deal with it.

This means we are now in a true gamechanger, and to help us get through this challenging period, we must think big about water savings, reducing water consumption, and using water more efficiently. Before going further, let’s look at where things are now with regard to water in California, our most populous state:

• More than 85 percent of California is in extreme or exceptional drought, two of the highest drought classifications.

• Marin County, north of San Francisco, has declared a state of emergency.

• Sonoma County, just north of Marin, is on the verge of doing the same.

• While most of the state’s residents are being asked to reduce water consumption, mandatory water restrictions are now being considered.

• The state’s more than 1,500 reservoirs are 50 percent lower than average.

We could list more challenges, but the bottom line is that California and much of the west are facing a parched summer, and we—each and every one of us—must do something about it. These are some of the actions we can take:

Think Big

Daniel Burnham, credited as being the city planner of Chicago back in the 1800s, said, “make no small plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably will not themselves be realized.” As individuals and as a society, we must think big about reducing water consumption so that we can “stir men’s blood” and make it happen. 

Charge More

As we have mentioned before in other posts, water charges in most areas of the country have rarely matched how much it costs to treat, deliver, and remove water. Instead, water charges have been kept artificially low. That must change now, and one reason for this is our next point.

Repair Infrastructure

Charging more will help pay for much needed water infrastructure. Water infrastructure in the U.S. has been ignored for decades. Yes, there have been some improvements here and there, but large sections of the entire system must be updated and/or replaced in many cities. There are about 240,000 water breaks annually in America. When it happens, a single break wastes thousands of gallons of water. 

But here is something more we should know. The repair bill for those 240,000 water breaks is now approaching $1 trillion annually. 

This means that if we invested the estimated three trillion dollars we need to fix water infrastructure, we would be saving money in the long run, along with thousands of gallons of water.

Grey Water

In California and other states, treated wastewater can be used for irrigation. We need to find even more and better uses for grey water. When treated, it can be used for various purposes except for human consumption.

Go Waterless

Finally, we need to find ways not just to cut water consumption but to eliminate it altogether. One that has proven highly successful is the installation of no-water urinals. You’ve probably heard this before, but since we are thinking big and trying to “stir men’s blood” about reducing water consumption, if just one waterless urinal saves 35,000 gallons of water per year, consider how much water would be saved if thousands of waterless urinals are installed.