manager’s corner
Walking the Walk–Building a Culture of
Sustainability at California American Water
www.ca-nv-awwa.org 23
In 2011 California American Water, which
provides water and wastewater services
to 50 communities throughout the state,
established a California Green Team to
identify, implement and track sustainability
practices and polices in our business.
Providing reliable, high-quality water service
impacts the environment and is impacted
by environmental conditions. It is our belief
that a water utility should act as a good
environmental steward, and that this will in
turn ensure the sustainability of our services.
We also believe that we must also “walk the
walk” and follow the same best practices
for efficient water use that we ask our customers
to adhere to. Sustainable practices
reduce operational costs and set a good
example for customers in energy and water
use at our facilities. Our Green Team’s focus
has been on near- and medium-term measures
in our offices and around our operations.
As is the case with all water utilities,
our biggest environmental impacts occur
as we draw water from the environment
to supply our customers and use energy to
treat and distribute the water. Long-term
strategic policy questions are not the focus
of our Green Team; instead we focus on
achievable near- and medium-term goals.
Gary Hofer, winner of California American
Water’s 2012 Green Team @Home Contest,
plants a water efficient landscape with
his daughter.
By Christina Morrison and Evan Jacobs
Continued on page 31
/www.ca-nv-awwa.org
