Marvell

Water is an increasingly scarce resource that nevertheless continues to be used wastefully around the world. Conservation is vital to ease pressure on water supplies and maintain an adequate flow of water for sustainable economic and social development.

Water scarcity is not an issue limited to developing countries. Even in high-tech Silicon Valley, water conservation is more important than ever, as the region's expanding population and continued growth put pressure on its water sources.

In 2008 the Santa Clara Valley Water District called on local businesses and commercial establishments to significantly reduce water use. Marvell has responded by participating in conservation programs to save water, cut costs, and reduce our carbon footprint.

Watered Down

Our initial efforts, which included changing our landscape irrigation schedule, resulted in a 12 percent reduction in water use in 2010 compared with 2008. But we realized that to achieve further gains, we needed to partner with the experts at the Santa Clara Valley Water District.

The water district organized a free water-use survey. A trained technician conducted a comprehensive indoor water survey and provided recommendations for us to use water more efficiently. As a result, we're scheduled to receive more water-saving hardware from the district, following its deliveries of pre-rinse sprayers, shower heads, and aerators.

We're already seeing significant results, with further savings soon to come. In March 2010 our water use dropped by 16 percent compared with the same month a year earlier.