# Rachio Celebrates Earth Day 2022

Water waste is a big issue in the United States (particularly for western states), and things like excessive or unnecessary watering can make matters worse. The [Environmental Protection Agency](https://www.epa.gov/watersense/statistics-and-facts) estimates that up to 50 percent – yes, HALF – of the water we use outdoors "is lost due to wind, evaporation, and runoff caused by inefficient irrigation methods and systems." [Rachio](/content/site-root.html) is working to fix this.

With the help of Rachio users across the country, we have been able to conserve more than **45 billion gallons of water** since 2014.

That’s thanks to Rachio features like Rain Skip, Wind Skip, and Smart Cycle, which automatically manage and prevent water waste. In other words, every new [Rachio 3](/content/products/rachio-3/index.html) customer helps us save even more water. And that's something to celebrate this Earth Day.

## California water waste fines

Some areas of the country are taking big steps to reduce water waste.

As of Jan. 4, 2022, the California State Resources Control Board put in place new [emergency rules](https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2022-01-04/california-adopts-drought-rules-outlawing-water-wasting) to limit water waste. Residents who overwater their yard — create excessive water runoff or who water when it’s recently rained — could face fines up to $500.

If you’re already using a Rachio controller, you can take advantage of several helpful features to avoid these fines, like [Smart Cycle](https://support.rachio.com/r1_FwL1Kw) and automatic weather skips. Plus you can easily override your schedule from the Rachio app if needed.

More on the new fines:
- [California Water Boards FAQ](https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/conservation_portal/regs/docs/2022-28-01-emreg-faqs-english.pdf) 
- [California Water Boards page on emergency rules](https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/conservation_portal/regs/emergency_regulation.html)
- [L.A. Times article on new rules](https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2022-01-04/california-adopts-drought-rules-outlawing-water-wasting)

## Learn about water quality in your area

Even if you’re not concerned about drought or water waste in your area, it’s always good to know where your water is coming from. It may be in shorter supply than you think.

The EPA has a number of tools to help you learn more about water quality in your area. The [How’s My Waterway](https://www.epa.gov/waterdata/hows-my-waterway) tool can show you where your drinking water comes from and reports on the health of bodies of water in your area.

They also collect [Consumer Confidence Reports](https://www.epa.gov/ccr) from some water utilities. Here’s a [water quality report example](https://www.denverwater.org/sites/default/files/water-quality-report-2022.pdf) from Denver Water in Colorado.

If you want to learn more about water quality in your specific area, we recommend reaching out to your water provider.