Imagine saving more than 40 billion gallons of water! To put that in perspective, that is an entire year’s supply of water for more than 130,000 people. And since 2015, the Coachella Valley has done just that, allowing local water agencies to save more water in the aquifer for future use.

The climate here in the Coachella Valley and across California varies between rainy years and periods of drought. To help ensure there is an adequate water supply during these wet and dry years, CV Water Counts encourages people to reduce water waste and gets the message out on ways to save this precious resource and protect the supply for future generations.

Many water-saving efforts may appear to be small at first glance: fixing dripping faucets, repairing sprinkler heads and turning off the water while brushing your teeth. However, the modest amount of water saved through these conservation measures can really add up.

For example, imagine a faucet dripping once a second. A single drop is pretty tiny by itself. After just four and a half hours, those drops add up to one gallon of water down the drain. In one day, those drops would fill a 5-gallon bucket. If this leak continued for a year, 1,947 gallons of water would be wasted. In other words, the water lost from 15 leaky faucets is roughly equal to the amount of water used by the average person over the same amount of time.

Turning off the tap while you brush your teeth makes a significant difference too. Leaving a bathroom sink faucet running for one minute wastes a gallon and a half of water. Do this twice a day for a full year and that’s another 1,095 gallons down the drain.

And don’t forget the outdoors. Irrigation systems account for seemingly small issues that really impact the bottom line. Just a single broken sprinkler head can lose 7,800 gallons of water over the course of a year.

CV Water Counts knows that 40 billion gallons is just the beginning. If every resident in the valley turned off the water when brushing their teeth, that would save more than 480 million gallons per year. Visit us online to find all the ways you can help save water. Together, we’ll make a huge difference, not only for today for decades to come.

Find even more ways to save here.