December 11, 2006—The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the winners of a new awards program aimed at recognizing outstanding leadership and innovation in water efficiency. Winners of the first Water Efficiency Leader (WEL) Awards were chosen by a panel of national water experts and based on three criteria: leadership, innovation, and water saved.
Winners of the first WEL Awards, along with the categories and EPA comments, are:
- TOTO USA (Atlanta, GA) – Large Corporation/Industry – TOTO demonstrates leadership and innovation in water efficiency through their plumbing product development, manufacturing processes, and advocacy.
- Advanced Mobile, LLC (Seattle, WA) – Small Corporation/Industry – This mobile carwash company relies exclusively on sustainable and water-efficient practices.
- New York State Funeral Directors Association (Albany, NY) – Organization/Teams/ Associations – This group promotes an innovative technology to reduce the volume of water used in an embalming from 120 gallons to 5 gallons.
- Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Water Smart Program (Las Vegas, NV) – Utilities/Water Districts – The program is a collection of strategic initiatives in conservation programming, including progressive policies, aggressive education, and substantial incentive programs.
- Bill Sartor of the San Antonio (TX) Water System – Individual – Mr. Sartor has consistently demonstrated leadership and innovation in reducing water usage in his area of the country.
- State of Florida ‘s Water Reuse Program – Government/Military – This state program is a model for efficient use of water on a statewide level.
The WEL Awards seek to foster a nationwide ethic of water efficiency, as well as to inspire, motivate, and recognize efforts that save water, explains EPA. The program allows EPA to document best practices, share information, and create a network of water efficiency leaders. Award recipients gain national recognition for their accomplishments, the opportunity to learn from other leaders, and the right to market themselves as recipients of this award.
EPA also offers information on Sustainable Water Infrastructure for the 21st Century and information on WaterSense, EPA’s voluntary public-private partnership program.
