The WaterSense partnership program makes it easy for Americans to save water and protect the environment by helping consumers identify water-efficient, high-performing plumbing products they can buy for their homes. The exciting water-efficiency program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is partnering with manufacturers, Retailers and distributors, utilities, state and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, trade associations, irrigation professionals, and professional certifying organizations to bring water-efficient products to market and spread the word about the need for smart water use.

DesignerPlumbingOutlet.com, a virtual store for kitchen and bathroom fixtures, fittings and accessories is one of nearly 70 retailers who have become a partner with WaterSense. As a partner of the WaterSense program, DPO displays the WaterSense label on quality, water-efficient products certified to meet EPA criteria that are found on the site. Most of these items are bathroom sink faucets and high-efficiency toilets that are designed to save water. 

“We feel it’s our duty to offer our customers a distinct “greener” choice when purchasing faucets and toilets from DPO,” said Founder and CEO Eric Strand. “By joining WaterSense and enabling the “eco friendly” search option on our site, we are giving customers the tools and knowledge to purchase the most water-efficient products available in this marketplace.”   

The WaterSense label indicates that these products have been independently tested by third-party laboratories to meet EPA’s water-efficiency and performance criteria. In addition, customers can be confident that the products will all perform well and may help them save money in the long run. Designer Plumbing Outlet carries many plumbing manufacturers who are WaterSense partners: American Standard, Delta, Grohe, Hansgrohe, Danze, Moen, and Price Pfister.

The WaterSense partnership is one of two steps DPO has taken to become eco friendly and help customers choose water-efficient products.  In addition to joining the WaterSense program, DPO has enabled an “eco friendly” search option on the website so customers can sort the wide variety of faucets, toilets and showerheads found on DPO, that are not WaterSense labeled, but are deemed “green” by their manufacturers, through an “eco friendly” search option.

According to WaterSense, the average American household uses about 100,000 gallons of water in a year, and 11,000 gallons of that are unnecessarily wasted each year due to inefficient toilets and faucets. If every inefficient toilet in the United States was replaced by a WaterSense labeled model, it would save 640 billion gallons of water.

WaterSense partner Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) demonstrates that it can be done. Through aggressive water conservation programs, SPU decreased water consumption in and around Seattle, Washington, by 24 percent since 1990, while in the same period the region’s population grew by 11 percent.

To achieve these savings, SPU targeted its efficiency measures on residential indoor fixtures, residential landscapes, commercial processes, and commercial landscapes. In particular, the program offered rebates or free toilets to upgrade older, inefficient toilets, as well as rebates for water-using appliances, urinals, pre-rinse spray heads, and other equipment. More recently, the region launched a pilot program for water-efficient showerheads. These incentives combined with non-incentive efforts—such as mass media messaging, direct mailings, new outreach materials, and Web sites—helped make the 1% Water Conservation Program a success.

SPU understands that water efficiency plays a key role in any strong municipal water conservation program, so joining WaterSense was an obvious choice. SPU Water Conservation Program Leader Al Dietemann explains, “WaterSense adds consistency with products, messaging, and marketing, and provides utilities with identical criteria to ensure a clear and concise message is conveyed to customers.”

In fall 2007, SPU launched a campaign featuring a TV ad encouraging consumers to purchase WaterSense labeled or FlushStar toilets. SPU also included an article in the utility’s newsletter that reaches up to 300,000 customers and shared point-of-purchase materials with retailers.

Further south in Cobb County, Georgia, government leaders launched a toilet rebate program in October 2007, coinciding with the day its water district declared Drought Level 4, the most severe classification. Since that time, Cobb County has issued 1,128 rebates for WaterSense labeled toilets and 2,048 rebates for 1.6-gallon-per-flush (gpf) toilets, saving the county an estimated 31.4 million gallons of water per year and easing the strain on municipal water supplies.

Cobb County’s rebate program soon achieved even greater influence when the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District adopted the program for the entire district, which includes Atlanta, 16 counties, and more than 60 water utilities. As a result, the program now targets more than 2 million customers.

Customers stand to benefit, too. Rebate participants are saving approximately $70.50 per year by reducing 10,000 gallons of water per household per year. The tiered rebate program credits customers’ water bills directly: $50 for 1.6-gpf toilets and $100 for WaterSense labeled toilets (less than 1.3 gpf). Cobb County Water System initially included 1.6-gpf toilets until WaterSense labeled models became more readily available. County officials hope to phase out rebates for 1.6-gpf toilets by the end of 2009.

Effective outreach has been crucial to Cobb County’s success in bringing WaterSense labeled toilets to the region. Early on, Cobb County contacted major retailers, including Home Depot and Lowe’s to encourage them to stock the toilets on its rebate list. To increase demand for WaterSense labeled toilets, the county educated consumers through its Web site and numerous public presentations. This allowed consumers one-on-one time to discuss the rebate program and WaterSense labeled toilets, which also built brand recognition. The media also drove home the water-efficiency message in print, radio, and television. By effectively building a market base and a steady supply of WaterSense labeled toilets in the area, Cobb County ensured its rebate program would have a significant impact and bring real change to the region.

Kathy Nguyen, water-efficiency program manager for Cobb County Water System, relates the success of the rebate program to the WaterSense label, saying, “WaterSense has made it easy for us by providing tools and resources to use for our rebate program. We’ve also found value in utilizing a national brand with consistent messaging, which makes it easier for our customers to identify products that are third-party certified for water efficiency and performance.”

Michelle Luke
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/the-us-Environmental-protection-agencys-watersense-program-attracts-plumbing-retailers-who-want-to-make-a-difference-in-the-environment-711202.html

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