What Can Your California-based Business Do to Help Resolve the State’s Water Crisis?

Here’s some troubling news: According to NASA senior water cycle scientist Jay Famiglietti, the state of California—which is mired in one of its longest and most severe droughts ever—has about one year left before its water supply runs out. 

What happens once the water runs out? If you have a solution, the scientific community would love to know about it.

“Right now the state has only about one year of water supply left in its reservoirs, and our strategic backup supply, groundwater, is rapidly disappearing,” said Famiglietti in a recent article. “California has no contingency plan for a persistent (let alone a 20-plus-year) drought, except, apparently, staying in emergency mode and praying for rain. In short, we have no paddle to navigate this crisis.”

In the article, which appeared in the L.A. Times, Famiglietti explained some immediate steps that need to be taken now to address the issue. First and foremost, he recommended mandatory water rationing across all water sectors (a mandate that is already being enforced in some regions). This would affect homes, businesses and farms alike. Famiglietti also suggested the implementation of multiple groundwater sustainability agencies, and a state-issued task force for long-term water management.

Here’s what your California-based business can do to help with the water crisis: Gain control of your data center’s power usage, so you can use less electricity and reduce your business’s resource footprint. After all, the less electricity you use, the less water will be required for cooling purposes. So a business owner needs to take responsibility for the problem and take active measures to help create a more sustainable future.