How much water do you think you use in a day? Actually take a minute to think about all of the devices you use that require water. How much water do you think you use in the shower each day? How much water does your dishwasher use each cycle? If you have any sort of irrigation system in your yard, how much water does that use each day?

If you are like most people, the answer to these questions is likely "I have no idea". While water plays an important role in our lives, most of us have a serious disconnect with how much of it we actually use. Coming out of the most recent drought, we Californians have had lots of conversations about water, water use, and securing long-term sustainable water sources. On an individual level; however, it is hard to talk about water or to make any changes to your household water use when you have no idea what your use even is. Santa Cruz Startup, Buoy Labs, is changing all of that with their innovative product: The Buoy. 

Not only is the Buoy empowering home owners with information about their water use, but it is also helping to identify and notify homeowners to potential leaks, which are actually a huge source of water loss and cost to a home. The Buoy connects directly to your household water main, and through a super sleek app provides you with real time data about your water use, and can even remotely turn of your water in the case that a leak is detected. 

The Buoy is also the focus of our second Choose Santa Cruz podcast. We interviewed Keri Waters and Hilary Bryant from Buoy Labs  in their Westside Santa Cruz location. We learned about the inspiration for the Buoy, the Buoy Labs startup journey, about the "Ocean's 11" team of talent who have made the buoy a reality, and about how the Buoy is changing the way we think about water. 

Take a listen and subscribe to our Choose Santa Cruz podcast:

To learn more about Buoy Labs and to purchase a Buoy of your own, visit buoywater.com.

To learn more about conservation in the City of Santa Cruz, visit CityofSantaCruz.com