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Saving water in L.A., one leaky toilet at a time
In water-scarce regions like California, every last drop counts. Yet millions of gallons of water are lost every year to a common, yet easily preventable, cause of water waste: leaky toilets.
That’s why we recently co-funded a pilot project to install water-saving technology in three multi-family buildings in Los Angeles. The tech takes aim at common leaks, like toilets that keep running water when not in use, which can add up over time. The pilot is on track to save 6.4 million gallons of water a year in the L.A. watershed where we operate, supporting our commitment to replenish 120% of the water we consume, on average, across our offices and data centers by 2030.
The pilot came together with partners from the California Water Action Collaborative (CWAC), a water stewardship network of over 25 organizations — including private companies like Google alongside environmental NGOs and nonprofits — that are committed to improving water security across the state.
Here’s a look at how this project is saving water, money and energy, and at the potential for collective action models to make meaningful progress on rising water challenges.
Saving water, money and energy
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power estimates that the average household loses up to 10,000 gallons of water every year to leaky toilets that go unnoticed. The good news is that while leaky toilets can be hard to detect, they’re easy to fix.
For the pilot project, CWAC members Pacific Institute and Bonneville Environmental Foundation tackled this challenge in three low-income multi-family housing buildings operated by nonprofit organizations, working alongside the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and other local water utilities. Toilets in these buildings were equipped with small, low-cost, low-power sensors developed by Sensor Industries. When a toilet leaks, the sensors alert building management in real time that a toilet needs to be repaired. The fix is usually as simple as readjusting or replacing the toilet flapper.
This simple intervention resulted in serious savings of water, money and energy, according to estimates from the nonprofit Pacific Institute:
- Water: The pilots are reducing building water use by an estimated 15% to 25%. The expected savings of 6.4 million gallons of water per year is equivalent to the total annual water use of about 40 single-family homes. Those savings extend to other customers who get their water from the same public utility, reducing water demand — and improving water reliability and affordability — across the system.
- Cost: The water savings translate into cost savings on water and wastewater bills of the same 15% to 25%, amounting to tens of thousands of dollars a year. The nonprofit building operators who pay the water bills could use these savings to make building improvements, in effect passing the savings along to residents.
- Energy: Southern California imports much of its water from hundreds of miles away, and it takes a lot of energy to pump this water over the mountains surrounding the L.A. Basin and treat it for household use. By reducing the demand for that water, the project cuts back on the energy and associated greenhouse gas emissions embedded in the water system.
Pacific Institute points to several other advantages of this approach. Residents don’t have to do anything — the non-invasive system detects problems and notifies the building. Facility managers can see the likely reason for the leak (such as a stuck flapper), which helps them fix it faster. The nonprofit building operators can focus on more urgent issues and reduce time spent tracking down leaks.
Bringing the solution to more cities
Taking this pilot to other places has always been a goal, and that expansion effort is now underway. We’re funding work to bring this solution to a 225-unit building in San Francisco that shares a watershed with our local offices. Here we expect to save a little over 1 million gallons of water a year, based on the savings found in L.A.
In New York City, we’re exploring this approach in a building a few miles from our main local campus, and here too we expect to save roughly 1 million gallons of water a year. While this region is not currently in a drought, we expect the system to save significant amounts of energy, as New York City imports its water from far away. Additionally, this project can help reduce pressure on New York’s combined waste- and stormwater system, which can overflow into clean waterways during heavy storms.
In the face of difficult decisions around water resources and scarcity, it’s not easy to find meaningful wins that everyone can get behind. The pilots represent a solution that local utilities anywhere can adopt with the right partners.
Looking ahead, we’ll continue to support collective action around watershed health in the communities where we operate. A healthy, resilient water system takes all of us.
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How Sameer got back into tech and on our Responsible AI team
Welcome to the latest edition of “My Path to Google,” where we talk to Googlers, interns and alumni about how they got to Google, what their roles are like and even some tips on how to prepare for interviews.
Today’s post is all about Sameer Sethi, a lead technical program manager on our Responsible AI team.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I was born and raised in a Punjabi family in Delhi, India. Growing up, my parents were my role models and the biggest pillars in my life. My passions are trying different foods and drinks and exploring the world with my wife, who I met while traveling.
Walk us through your path to Google.
After completing my Bachelor’s of Engineering in Dublin, I worked as a software engineer at various telecom companies in Ireland. Afterwards, I moved back to India to help take care of my father and ended up opening an Indo-European bakery. While I enjoyed running a small business (especially one dedicated to my love of food), I still wanted to find an outlet for my engineering skills and use them to create a positive impact. So I got my master’s degree in engineering and ventured back into the tech world as a product manager.
I partnered with Google on a project during that time, and having seen my work firsthand, my Google colleagues encouraged me to apply for an open position in Google Fiber. The role tapped into my passion for data engineering, and I could make a difference by helping to provide fast, reliable and fairly priced internet access to everyone. So I applied and got the job.
What’s your role at Google now?
Now, I’m a lead technical program manager on Google’s Responsible AI team. I work with researchers, ethicists and machine learning practitioners to help Google build responsible AI products guided by our AI Principles and the societal impacts of our work.
What do you wish you’d known when you started the interview process?
I read about Google’s interview process online and got the impression that it would be a nerve-racking experience. To my surprise, however, it was quite the opposite. While the interviews definitely required a lot of preparation, all of the interviewers were very friendly, and the process is designed to make you feel comfortable and help you do your best. Looking back, I would have been much less nervous knowing that the interviewers were friendly and there to help me succeed.
What resources would you recommend to prepare for a Google interview?
I’d suggest reading about the hiring process and checking out the Life at Google YouTube channel to hear directly from Googlers about what it’s like to work here, and how to best prepare to apply or interview. And remember, your recruiter is your best ally so take their recommendations. They know the Google hiring process inside out.
Any tips you’d like to share with aspiring Googlers?
I’ll second what many other Googlers have said: Always strive for your best, prepare well and understand that the interviewers are there to help you succeed. Don’t lose hope, and never stop dreaming.
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All the ways to stay up to date on the FIFA World Cup™
The World Cup kick-off countdown is on! To make sure you don’t miss any major moments, here are new features that will help you stay up to date as 32 nations compete to win it all.
Get in on the action with Search
Whether you are a casual fan, soccer aficionado or hopping on the bandwagon, we’ve got you covered! To prepare for the tournament, search “World Cup” and follow your favorite teams. Simply click on the bell in the top-right-hand corner to opt-in to receive notifications about your squad. We know the best fans care deeply about the details like who is dominating the passing game. Now, when you look up a match you will be able to view in-depth stats, win probabilities and key events timelines.
You can also catch all the “ooh”, “ahh” and “GOOAAAL” moments you might have missed with daily recap videos directly on Search from FIFA+ and official broadcasters including beIN SPORTS, BBC, ZDF and more. Dive even deeper and look up your favorite athletes to learn more about their stories and accomplishments.
No matter which player or team you are rooting for, soccer is all about community and a little friendly competition. On Search when you look up players, you’ll be able to rate players based on how you think they’ll perform and see how that rating stands up against the others. Soon you can also compete with fans in our multiplayer online game. People from around the world will work together to help their team score the most amount of goals to win. Once a real-life match is set, pick your team and work with other fans to score the most virtual goals before the match ends.
Find exciting content from the FIFA World Cup™ 2022 on YouTube
There are even more ways to watch the biggest moments throughout the tournament on YouTube. World Cup fans can catch up on and rewatch the most exciting moments of every game on YouTube via FIFA and official broadcast channels. Starting November 20, YouTube TV subscribers can watch live the FIFA World Cup 2022™ on FOX and FS1, and make the most of their viewing experience with gameday features such as key plays to catch up on real-time highlights, stats, scores and standings. Members subscribed to the 4K Plus add-on can enjoy all 64 matches in ultra-high-definition. For those looking to tune in to the Spanish broadcast, Telemundo is included as part of the YouTube TV Base Plan. You can also find exclusive Shorts and long-form content for this year’s World Cup from creators like Deestroying, Rima, Cheeky Boyos, Jesser, Abo Flah and more. Relive and react to your favorite World Cup moments using the Remix feature in Shorts. Be sure to follow along using #ShortsFIFAWorldCup and join in the fun by using this hashtag when you upload your own content.
Catch the matches and highlights with Google TV
With your Google TV device, you’ll be able to tune in to everything from the group stage to the finale. Jump straight into live matches featured in your For you tab. A new row lets you explore World Cup content like live games, highlights, recaps and more from FIFA+, ITV, Peacock, Telemundo, ViX and other broadcasters. These updates on Google TV are available on the new Chromecast with Google TV and other Google TV devices including Hisense, Philips, Sony and TCL.
Discover new places to see the action
Want to watch the game with other fans? A new label for businesses on Search will launch ahead of the games and help you do just that. Soon you can simply search for “Where to watch the world cup near me” within Search to find a nearby venue of your choice. Business owners should review their local rules about showing sporting events to the public before applying the new label.
Grow your knowledge about the World Cup with Assistant
Google Assistant is helping long-time soccer fans and those new to the World Cup with an expanded collection of facts. Say “Give me a soccer fun fact” to learn about the first females to referee the tournament, the number of stadiums lined up to host the event and more. To chat about the game, ask Assistant, “Do you like soccer?” and “Who’s your favorite soccer player?”, or celebrate together with “It’s game time” or “Say goal!”
Trevor Noah spiega il disastro di Twitter in quattro minuti
Spero di avere il tempo di tradurre questa spiegazione azzeccata, da parte di Trevor Noah, del caos intorno alla gestione di Twitter da quando è arrivato Elon Musk. Merita. Non solo per la sintesi, ma anche per la riflessione sulla libertà di espressione tanto sbandierata da Musk: quelli che si dicono tifosi assoluti di questa libertà stranamente vogliono essere liberi di dire quello che loro vogliono, ma non vogliono che gli altri siano altrettanto liberi.
Ringrazio Adriano Pedrana che mi ha mandato questa trascrizione e successiva traduzione:
Oh, boy. You know, this whole thing happening with Elon Musk and Twitter reminds me of, I think it was Mike Tyson, who had that line where he said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” (risate del pubblico)
Because now, it feels like Elon Musk is just like scrambling, making it up as he goes along, which I get, which I get. You’ve spent 44 billion dollars for a company that most people say shouldn’t be more than worth like 20 something billion (risate del pubblico). You’re gonna scramble, you know?
And he’s trying everything. What’s amazing to me is, like, what’s happening with Elon Musk is a wonderful microcosm to show you how much, or how quickly, people will abandon what they say is a principle when things aren’t going their way, you know? So one of the first things Elon said when he took over was like, “Comedy is now legal on Twitter.” And he was like, “It’s time for free speech, time for comedy, time for people to actually have fun on Twitter again!”
And then what people started doing was, they started changing their names to Elon Musk. (risate del pubblico) Right? So people changed their Twitter handles to Elon Musk. Then they just started tweeting things as if they were Elon Musk. They were like, “I’m such a terrible person. My wife left me.” Just random, random shit, right?
And then Twitter just banned all of their accounts.They’re like, “Suspended, suspended.” And then he was like, “No parodying of people, unless you say it’s a parody!” It’s like “What? So it’s not funny now? ” (risate del pubblico) It’s not funny.
And this is the thing that people never seem to understand, is everybody who is pro free speech is not pro all speech. What they’re pro is the speech that they wish to use that might hurt to offend other people. (applausi del pubblico)
And then, ‘Cause you’re like what’s wrong, Elon? People are just messing around with their handles. Like, “No, they’re impersonating me.” And it’s like, “why is that a bad thing?” “Because this could cause harm and panic.” Oh, it could cause harm and panic? So you’re saying somebody just saying something could cause harm? “Well, not in the way you’re saying it…”
It’s like, yeah, man, everyone thinks jokes are funny until the joke is about them. That’s the thing I’ve learned, right?
And now, he’s there and all of it. Like, “Oh the company, we’re gonna do it like we don’t care.” He’s like, “That’s why I’m buying it, because then, you don’t have to worry about the advertisers. We’re gonna do this thing.”And then the advertisers are like, “All right, well, we’re leaving.” “Wait!” (risate del pubblico) “Wait, I do care about the advertisers!” (Trevor ride) Oh, man. (applausi del pubblico)
And then, it’s funny how he does it. Like, even his logic becomes illogical based on his own logic. So he goes, “We’re gonna do verified for everybody. You just have to pay 8 dollars.” Which undermines the purpose of verification. Now I’m not for or against, I think, to be honest with you, I would love to live in a world where everyone on Twitter is verified. I would like to know that we’re talking to humans as opposed to a bot or anything else. So I don’t mind if everyone is verified. But what’s funny is Elon going like, “No, I’m making this for the people. And so if the people pay 8 dollars, you all get to be verified.”
And it’s like, wait, so if people pay, they’re verified? Yeah. Then someone was like, then how will you know if this is now a government institution? ‘Cause someone could just start an account of someone who doesn’t even have an account. Then they could verify it. Now technically, there’s no other account that they’re parodying. So are they the account? And then when people go on, they’re like, “It is the account. It’s verified”. Do they act on that information? And then, like the team at Twitter and Elon were like, “No, under the verification will be some sort of verification to say that they are.” (risate del pubblico) And I’m like, “Oh, so now, there’s gonna be double verification. What happened to power to the people?” Now, you are gonna be like, “I’m double verified versus your one verified.” Then it’s like, oh, all right, 16 dollars? (Trevor ride) Oh, man.
Oh ragazzi. Sapete, tutto quello che sta succedendo con Elon Musk e Twitter mi riporta in mente… mi pare fosse Mike Tyson e quella sua battuta che diceva: “Tutti hanno un piano fino a quando non si prendono un pugno in faccia”. (pubblico ride)
Perché adesso Elon Musk sembra trovarsi in affanno e si sta inventando cose man mano, e lo capisco, lo capisco. Hai speso 44 miliardi di dollari per un’azienda che quasi tutti dicono non ne valga più di 20 miliardi circa. (pubblico ride) Ti trovi in affanno, vero?
E lui le prova tutte. Quello che trovo affascinante è che ciò che sta accadendo con Elon Musk è come un microcosmo fantastico che mostra quanto o quanto velocemente le persone abbandonano quelli che chiamano principi quando le cose non vanno come vorrebbero. E così quando ha concluso l’acquisizione, una delle prime cose che Elon ha detto è stata: “La comicità ora è legale su Twitter”. E ha detto: “È arrivato il tempo della libertà di espressione, della comicità, il tempo in cui la gente potrà tornare a divertirsi veramente su Twitter!”
E così le persone hanno cominciato a modificare il loro nome usando quello di Elon Musk. (pubblico ride) Ok? Così la gente ha modificato il proprio nome visualizzato su Twitter sostituendolo con quello di Elon Musk. E poi hanno iniziato a scrivere tweet come se fossero lui, cose del tipo: “Sono una persona terribile. Mia moglie mi ha lasciato”. Cose un po’ a caso, ok?
Poi Twitter ha sospeso tutti questi account: “Sospeso, sospeso”. E Musk ha detto: “Non si possono fare parodie delle persone, a meno di dichiararlo in maniera esplicita”. “Ma come? Non è più così divertente ora?” (pubblico ride) “Non è divertente?”.
Una cosa che la gente sembra non capire è che quelli che sostengono la libertà di parola non sono a favore dell’espressione delle opinioni di tutti, ma di quelle che loro vogliono esprimere e che potrebbero offendere o ferire altre persone (pubblico applaude).
E poi dicono ma cosa c’è di sbagliato Elon? Stanno solo giocando con i loro nome su Twitter. E lui: “No! Fingono di essere me”. E quindi? Perché è qualcosa di negativo? “Perché questo potrebbe provocare panico e danni”. Oh, potrebbe provocare panico e danni? Quindi stai dicendo che il semplice fatto di dire qualcosa possa provocare danni? “Beh, ma non come lo intendi tu.”
Ed è come se, ok, tutti trovano le battute divertenti a meno che la battuta non riguardi loro personalmente. Questo è quello che ho capito.
E così, dopo tutto questo lui dice: “Ok gestiamo questa azienda come non ci interessasse”. E poi dice: “Ecco perché la sto comprando, perché poi non devi più preoccuparti degli inserzionisti. Faremo così”. E così gli inserzionisti rispondono: “Ok, allora ce ne andiamo tutti”. “Aspettate!” (pubblico ride) “Aspettate, gli inserzionisti mi interessano.” (Trevor ride di gusto) Oh, ragazzi. (pubblico applaude)
Questo suo modo di procedere è così divertente. Persino la sua logica diventa illogica se la si giudica in base alla sua logica. E così dice: “Daremo account verificati a tutti. Basta pagare 8 dollari”. Il che mina l’obiettivo stesso della verifica. Ora, non sono né a favore, né contro a questa cosa. A essere onesti, mi piacerebbe tanto vivere in un mondo dove tutti su Twitter sono verificati. Mi piacerebbe sapere che sto dialogando con esseri umani e non con un bot o qualsiasi altra cosa. Quindi non mi dispiace che tutti su Twitter vengano verificati. Ma mi diverte sentire Elon che dice: “No, lo faccio per le persone. E se pagate otto dollari sarete tutti verificati”.
Aspetta: quindi chi paga sarà verificato? E lui “Sì!”. E poi qualcuno dice, ma come fai a saperlo? Ora è forse un ente governativo? Perché qualcuno potrebbe aprire un account col nome di una persona che non ha un suo account, e farlo verificare. Tecnicamente non c’è un altro account di cui sta facendo la parodia. Quindi è quello il suo vero account? E così gli utenti penseranno che si tratti del suo account, visto che è verificato. Si comporteranno basandosi su questa informazione? A questo punto il team di Twitter ed Elon rispondono: “No, al di sotto della verifica ci sarà un qualche tipo di verifica che confermi l’identità. (pubblico ride) Allora io penso, ok, quindi ci sarà una doppia verifica. Dove è finita l’idea di restituire il potere alla gente? Ora uno può dire: “Io ho la doppia verifica e tu solo una”. E così quanto fa: 16 dollari? (Trevor ride) Oh ragazzi.
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