University of California President Janet Napolitano today (Jan. 16) announced a goal of reducing per capita water use by 20 percent throughout the UC system by the year 2020.
As California experiences some of its driest weather on record, Napolitano said the university must step up and contribute to the preservation of the state's most precious resource.
"The University of California has long been a leader in conservation efforts," she said. "This new 2020 goal complements the university's Carbon Neutrality Initiative and its broader award-winning sustainability efforts. UC is prepared to play a leadership role in response to California's current water crisis by demonstrating water sustainability solutions to the rest of the state."
Every UC campus already has established its water usage baseline against a three-year average, and the 20 percent reduction goal will be pegged to each campus's baseline.
"The 2020 goal builds on the groundbreaking water-related research that takes place on our campuses every day," Napolitano said. "These efforts are critical to addressing the formidable water, energy and climate challenges facing California, the nation and the world."
The policy will be discussed at next week's meeting of the UC Board of Regents in San Francisco as part of the presentation of the Annual Report on Sustainable Practices.