To help Californians save more water this summer, the State Water Resources Control Board, the California Department of Technology and Save Our Water announced the launch of SaveWater.CA.Gov. The new mobile-optimized website will allow residents to report suspected leaks and water waste anywhere in the state from their smartphones, tablets and computers. Today’s announcement was made following the release of June 2015 statewide conservation progress.
“Everyone needs to save water, and this is one effective way alert residents can help everyone – and every community – save water during this historic drought,” said State Water Resources Control Board Chair Felicia Marcus. “Every drop saved – and every suspected leak or water waste reported and corrected – will help stretch the state’s limited water supply, because we don’t know if next year will be a fifth year of drought.”
Many local water agencies have their own methods for reporting water waste, whether by email, phone or online app. Modeled on sites maintained by water suppliers throughout the state, SaveWater.CA.Gov is a tool for Californians to help their communities and state save water and assist those water suppliers that may not have the resources to build their own online reporting system. The site is available statewide and compliments local efforts by providing an easy-to-use tool that directly reports water waste to the proper authority – anywhere in California.
Through SaveWater.CA.Gov, users can easily report and send pictures of leaks or water waste from their smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. Users can select the type of water waste from a list of common problems, type in the address where the potential waste is occurring and click send.
The anonymous report is transmitted directly to the water agency that serves the geographic area where the report is made. Users don’t need to know the name of the local water agency or how to contact them. The SaveWater.CA.Gov site does it for them.
More than 300 water agencies throughout the state have already signed up to use the tool. All waters suppliers are encouraged to join SaveWater.CA.Gov to access detailed reports of apparent water waste in their areas.
“The beauty of this system is that it sends reports directly to the water suppliers,” Marcus said. “Since the State Water Board passed emergency water conservations regulations in July 2014, hundreds of state residents have emailed us and called asking what they can do to report suspected water waste. This tool is a valuable step in the right direction for water suppliers to find out about suspected leaks or overwatering in their communities.”
In his April 1, 2015 Executive Order, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. mandated a 25 percent water use reduction for cities and towns across California.
In May, the State Water Board adopted an emergency regulation requiring an immediate statewide 25 percent reduction in overall potable urban water use beginning in June, in accordance with Gov. Brown’s April 1 Executive Order. The order required, for the first time in the state’s history, mandatory conservation for all residents and directed several state agencies, including the State Water Board, to take immediate action to safeguard the state’s remaining potable urban water supplies in preparation for a possible fifth year of drought.
To learn about all the actions the state has taken to manage California’s water system, and cope with the impacts of another dry year, visit Drought.CA.Gov.
