How California's Drought Is Impacting the Hospitality Industry

California continues to experience one of the worst droughts in recorded history. The dry conditions are affecting everyone across the board and with the drought not expected to end anytime in the near future affected industries need to make plans to deal with the backlash. One such industry that is highly affected by water shortages is the hospitality business. On April 1, 2015, California’s governor issued Executive Order B-29-15, a strict water conservation order that affects everyone in the Golden State. The goal of the order is to save water, encourage investment in new technologies to conserve and use water responsibly, and increase the enforcement against water waste among other things. While everyone will see an increase in water rates and reduced water availability, it is the hotel and lodging industry that stands to get hit the hardest by these changes. What are hotel managers and owners to in the face of such restrictions and challenges? At Rooter Hero Plumbing, we’re always looking for ways to help our commercial clients get the most out of their plumbing systems. Consider making the following changes to beat the water shortage now and in the future: Replace outdated showerheads and faucets: Do you own an older property? Older hotels have character and history, but they also have old fixtures that may be leaky. The ROI on this minor update is exponential and improves the guest experience while conserving water. Repair leaky toilets and urinals: Leaky toilets in guestrooms as well as in common areas like public restrooms are wasting water and costing you money. These kinds of plumbing repairs are usually as easy as replacing a broken valve or flusher. Revamp your hotel’s laundry operations: Are you using the right balance of chemicals? If not, you could be using more water than necessary to wash linens and towels. In addition to paying closer attention to the chemicals used, put green efforts in place to reduce the amount of laundry done on a daily basis. Encourage guests to use their towels multiple times instead of requesting daily towel service. California has a history of severe droughts, and this characteristic of the state isn’t going to change anytime soon. Therefore, if the hospitality industry wants to reduce its water usage and avoid possible penalties for over usage, it’s imperative that hotel owners and managers make changes now. Call Rooter Hero Plumbing and let us help you evaluate your building’s water usage and make suggestions for upgrades. We’re available 24 hours a day to assist you with all your commercial plumbing needs.