EPA Recognizes Cities of Plano and Allen, Texas, for Achievements as WaterSense Partners

 U.S. EPA News Release:

EPA Recognizes Cities of Plano and Allen, Texas, for Achievements as WaterSense Partners

 

Media contact: Jennah Durant at r6press@epa.gov or 214 676-0655

 

DALLAS – (Oct. 13, 2021) Recently the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized the cities of Plano and Allen, Texas, as among 34 WaterSense partners that excelled at helping consumers and businesses save water during 2020. Award winners include utilities, manufacturers, builders, a retailer, and other organizations that promote WaterSense labeled products, build WaterSense labeled homes, and operate WaterSense labeled certification programs.

 

The city of Plano was recognized as a Sustained Excellence award winner, the highest level of WaterSense achievement. In 2020, the city hosted many remote events and webinars on landscaping and at-home water use, and celebrated 10 years of its residential water conservation rebate program. The city of Allen was recognized for Excellence in Education. The city used a variety of promotions and activities during Fix a Leak Week to show residents how to save water at home, and water conservation staff continued their popular Sustainable Landscapes series.

 

“Using water more efficiently and more effectively can save money while also reducing energy needs, supporting ecosystem health, bolstering climate resilience, and strengthening our water resources for current and future generations,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “EPA’s WaterSense program is a fantastic partnership that has allowed Americans to save more than 5.3 trillion gallons of water and $108 billion on utility bills since 2006.”

“As North Texas keeps growing and thriving, conserving water becomes more important for all our communities,” said Acting Regional Administrator David Gray. “Plano and Allen continue to set the example for cities across the Metroplex for innovation and outreach on using water efficiently."

With fewer in-person events and people spending more time at home, the awardees pivoted many of their outreach and education activities to ensure that water conservation could continue in 2020.

2021 Sustained Excellence Award Winners

The Sustained Excellence Awards are the highest level of achievement for WaterSense. They are provided to those partners who continue to exhibit Partner of the Year quality for consecutive years. Winners in this category have received from 2 to 6 Sustained Excellence awards.

• Athens-Clarke County (Georgia) Public Utilities Department Water Conservation Office
• The City of Charlottesville (Virginia)
• Cobb County (Georgia) Water System
• Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
• Citrus County (Florida) Utilities
• The City of Plano (Texas)
• Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership (California) 
• Kohler Co. (Wisconsin)
• KB Home (California)

2021 WaterSense Partners of the Year

The Partner of the Year awards go to those WaterSense partners who have achieved success in all of the judging categories for the year – including strategic collaboration, education and outreach, and promoting WaterSense labeled products and programs.

• City of Durham (North Carolina) Water Management
• Regional Water Authority (California)
• Big Bear Lake (California) Department of Water and Power
• Irvine Ranch (California) Water District
• Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District
• The City of Sacramento (California) Department of Utilities
• Upper San Gabriel Valley (California) Municipal Water District
• Broward Water Partnership (Florida)
• The City of Aspen (Colorado)
• Orbit Irrigation Products, Inc. (Utah)
• The Home Depot (Georgia)
• Fulton Homes (Arizona)

Excellence Awards

• Alliance for Water Efficiency and Metropolitan Council (Minnesota) for Excellence in Strategic Collaboration
• San Diego County Water Authority for Excellence in Collaboration and Promoting WaterSense Labeled Products.
• Alameda County (California) Water District and Niagara® (Texas) for Excellence in Promoting WaterSense Labeled Products
• The City of Allen (Texas) for Excellence in Education
• The Department of Water, County of Kaua‘i (Hawaii) for Excellence in Education and Outreach
• Harris-Galveston (Texas) Subsidence District for Excellence in Education and Promoting WaterSense
• Hilton Head Public Service District (South Carolina) for Excellence in Promoting WaterSense on Social Media
• Santa Clarita Valley (California) Water Agency for Excellence in Promoting the Multifamily EPA Water Score
• California Water Efficiency Partnership for Excellence in Certification Program Growth
• G3, Green Gardens Group (California) for Excellence in WaterSense Promotion and Outreach
• The Toro Company (Minnesota) for Excellence in Engagement and Outreach

More information about the 2021 WaterSense Award winners is available at https://www.epa.gov/watersense/watersense-awards.

Background
WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of the nation’s water supply by offering Americans a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, homes, and services. WaterSense labeled products are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well or better than standard models. The program was launched in 2006, and today there are more than 36,000 labeled models of toilets, faucets/faucet accessories, showerheads, irrigation controllers, and spray sprinkler bodies.

 

Connect with EPA Region 6:

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eparegion6 

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAregion6

Activities in EPA Region 6: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-6-south-central

 

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