Presentation by Veronica Blette, Chief of the EPA Office of Wastewater Management's WaterSense Program, for the 2019 Gulf Coast Water Conservation in Houston, Texas.

1. Harnessing the Power of WaterSense
for Local Water Conservation &
Efficiency Programs
Veronica Blette
EPA WaterSense
February 28, 2019

2. Today’s Plan
• Why WaterSense?
• Program Background
• Consumer Campaigns and Partner Tools
• Partners in Action
• My Final Pitch
My goal is to convince non-partners to
partner and to remind existing partners of
our program resources
Flashback to event at
Lowe’s in College Station
during We’re for Water
Road Trip 2010

3. Water Supply Reliability is a Challenge
Sept. 2007
Oct. 2011
May 2013
Oct 2018
Seasonal Drought Outlook
Valid for Jan to April 30, 2019
• Drought happens
somewhere every year
• Extreme weather changes
increase uncertainty and
concern about water
scarcity and risk
• Competition for supplies to
meet public, agricultural
and energy needs will
increase
• Need to increase resiliency
maps at drought.gov

4. Supplying Future Populations
• Texas faces real challenges in meeting the needs of growing populations
• Harris County projected to grow from 4.7 million in 2020 to 6.3 million in 2070
• 2017 Texas Water Plan recognizes that new surface & groundwater supplies will be needed to meet
demand
• Demand reduction through conservation also a key strategy – between 2020 and 2070 it’s intended
to supply 8.5 to 15.5% of future demand (compared to ~31% statewide)
2070 - Needs (Potential Shortages)

5. Why WaterSense?
Identify high-performing
technology
Reduce need to
expand infrastructure
capacity
Save water for
critical needs
Help consumers
save money
Promote water efficient
behavior/action
2006
Enacted into law
October 2018
America’s Water
Infrastructure Act
of 2018
GAO report says
water shortages
expected in 36 states
Communities face
major infrastructure
investments
Consumers challenged
by rising utility bills
Much of water used
outdoors is wasted
No ENERGY STAR like
program for water
~ 2003

6. Our Vision
• Our vision is that all Americans will
understand the importance of water
efficiency and take actions to reduce their
water use – in their homes, outdoors, and
at work
• How will we achieve it?
• By transforming the marketplace for
products and services that use water
• By promoting a nationwide ethic of
water efficiency to conserve water
resources for future generations and
reduce water infrastructure costs
WaterSense offers people a simple way to
use less water

7. WaterSense Focus – 3 P’s
Practices
PeopleProducts
Specific fixtures
and technologies
save water
Partners reach
users to change
behavior
Actions that can be
taken to reduce
water use -- at
home, outdoors
and at work

8. What’s Special About WaterSense?
A label with integrity
• Third-parties independently certify that
products and homes meet EPA criteria
for water efficiency and performance
• Backed by the credibility of EPA
Smart use of resources
• EPA provides national standardization
and outreach for water-efficiency
• Manufacturers absorb product research,
testing, and branding costs
• Licensed certifying bodies certify the
products and police the label’s use
• Promotional partners help to educate the
public

9. Working Together
How we see EPA’s role –
• Bring together seemingly unrelated organizations to
achieve a common goal
• Reach broader audience through multiple
organizations
• Lend credibility to an issue
• Leverage resources across organizations for greater
impact
We share mutual goals – get consumers to use
water efficient products and practices
We each have strengths and roles to play
Working together creates opportunities and
amplifies our message

10. WaterSense Labeled Products
More than 30,000 product models have earned the label. Water
factors are included in many ENERGY STAR certified products.
Flushing
Urinals
Showerheads Lavatory
Faucets
Tank-Type
Toilets
Irrigation
Controllers
Flushometer
Valve Toilets
Spray Sprinkler
Bodies
New Homes
Specifications under review to determine need for revision In dev’t: Soil moisture sensor irrigation controllers & Pool covers
Pre-rinse spray
valves – new
DOE standard

11. • First national new home labeling program
for water efficiency
• Applies to single and multifamily homes
• Works with other green building programs
• WaterSense labeled new homes:
• Reduce water use in new homes by at
least 20%
• Educate homeowners about continuing
water-efficient behaviors
• Encourage community infrastructure
savings
• Are third-party certified
• Currently working to develop version 2.0 of
homes program
WaterSense Labeled
Homes
Photo: First
community of all
WaterSense
labeled new
homes in
Issaquah, WA

12. • Water use information by
facility type
• Best management practices
• Water-saving tips
• Assessment tools
• Worksheets and checklists
• Live and recorded training
webinars
• Case studies and more!
WaterSense Commercial &
Institutional Facility Resources
www.epa.gov/watersense/tools

13. EPA Water Score for
Multifamily Properties
• Benchmarking tool using the ENERGY
STAR Portfolio Manager Platform
• For multifamily properties with 20 or
more units
• Takes indoor and outdoor water use
into consideration
• May want to approach property
managers to encourage use of Portfolio
Manager and the Water Score to help
them manage water.
• They may have a greater motivation to
address water because they pay the
bills
• WaterSense has resources to help
identify opportunities to save water and
improve their scores
New!

14. 14
• WaterSense labels programs that certify irrigation
professionals who are knowledgeable about water-
efficient practices and products
• Existing specifications cover irrigation design,
installation/maintenance, and auditing
• 8 WaterSense labeled programs currently offered by
24 professional certifying organization partners
• In TX - TX Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor
Program (TX A&M Agrilife) and Irrigation Association
programs
• Close to 3,000 professionals have been certified by
WaterSense labeled programs
• 112 in TX
• www.epa.gov/watersense/find-pro/
A Systems Approach for Outdoors

15. Program Success through 2017

16. Consumer Campaigns

17. Key Insights for the Brand
• Consumers make behavior changes when the change is
personally relevant and meaningful to them.
• In order to create long-term market transformation, we need
to change the way people think and feel about water.
• Right now, many consumers know that saving water is the
right thing to do, but they are lacking the personal
motivation that will cause them to take action.
• WaterSense can provide this emotional relevance by
helping consumers realize that small individual changes do
make a difference and
• WaterSense is the trusted resource that can help make
saving water easy.

18. • We’re for Water umbrella platform kicked off in 2010
• What do we want people to do?
• Understand importance of using water efficiently
• Look for products with the WaterSense label
• Adopt water-efficient behaviors
• Do their part/be their best
• Join their neighbors
• See WaterSense as a trusted resource
Reaching Consumers

19. 2019 Monthly Themes

20. 2019 Monthly Themes

21. 21
Primary Consumer Campaigns
March May
July Sept/October
Outdoor Water
Use and Drought

22. 22
• Focus: Encourage consumers to find and fix
household leaks
• Check for leaks (e.g., silent toilet leaks)
• Twist faucet valves and tighten pipe
connections
• Replace old plumbing fixtures and irrigation
controllers with WaterSense labeled models
• Timeframe: Annually during 3rd week of March
(March 18-24, 2019)
• Partners hold events throughout the U.S. and
Canada
Fix a Leak Week

23. Fix a Leak Week Promo Materials
Variety of materials that include different
themes – most are customizable
• Social media outreach
• Graphics and other materials
• Video and Kids’ activity tools
• Tools to help plan events
• Templates for proclamations, media
releases
• Bill stuffers, dye cards, post cards

24. 24
• Worked with Fort Worth Water to create
new culturally relevant materials
• Loteria card game (in English too!)
• “Collectible” information cards - can be
used for game play or on social media &
websites
• + Other outreach material
Spanish Promotional Material

25. 25
Fix a Leak Week Events across
the U.S. and Canada 2015-2018

26. 3/4/2019
26
Sprinkler Spruce-Up
• Focus: Encourage homeowners to check their
irrigation system before the watering season
• Timeframe: Usually May, but anytime in spring
• Follow four simple steps: inspect, connect, direct,
and select
• Materials include:
– Trade articles to landscaping publications
– Video
– Consumer articles
– Widget
– Social media posts

27. Outdoors – Smart Watering
Focus: Remind customers to change their irrigation practices with the weather or get
controllers that will do the thinking for them
Timeframe: Anytime Materials include: bill stuffers, brochures, social media posts

28. Outdoors – Water-Smart Landscapes
Focus: Reassure consumers that a water-smart landscape can be beautiful and healthy
Timeframe: Anytime

29. 3/4/201929
Drought Tools
• Focus: Encourage consumers
to reduce water use and follow
directions of their local utility
• Timeframe: When in drought
• Materials include:
• Video
• Bill stuffers (English/Spanish)
• Door hanger
• Facts and tips
• Case study
• Presentation
• State fact sheets
• “When in Drought” article for
placement

30. 3/4/2019
30
Shower Better
• Focus: Educate consumers on the
connection between energy and water
• Timeframe: Anytime, but some focus
during Energy Action Month in October
• Can look to Energy utility and plumber
co-promotion to incentivize WaterSense
labeled showerheads
• Materials include: available:
– Animated video, Bath hack video
– Infographics
– Bill stuffer
– Radio PSA
– Media outreach templates
– Brochures
– Kids’ learning resource
– Widget

31. Your Better Bathroom
• Focus: Let consumers who want to
refresh or remodel their bathrooms know
that they can look to the WaterSense label
to get style with the added benefit of water
savings.
• Timeframe: Anytime, but some focus
during October (Nat’l Kitchen & Bath
month) and May (Nat’l Home Remodeling
month)
• Materials include:
• Bag stuffers
• Bill stuffers
• Social media
• Sample article
• Sample web content

32. Bath Hack Videos
Simple step-by-step
videos to complement
campaigns
• Short - all < 60 seconds
• All on EPA YouTube
WaterSense Playlist

33. WaterSense for Kids
Meet Flo. She’s our
WaterSense
spokesgallon and a big
hit with adults and
especially children. She
is available to come to
events to support your
WaterSense programs,
initiatives, campaigns,
etc.

34. 34
Community-Based Social
Marketing Campaign Planning

35. Partner
Tools

36. Learn from and share with other partners
• WaterSense Partner Site includes a section
where partners can share what they’re doing
• Bi-monthly webinars include partner
presentations
• Partner Pipeline and The WaterSense
Current newsletters
• Partner of the Year Awards recognizes
outstanding partners

37. Texas Partners in Action

38. WaterSense
in Texas
• 122 Partners in TX
• WaterSense partner award winners
• Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco, Dallas, Texas
A&M Agrilife/Dallas
• Local Governments & Utilities in this Area
• In Harris County: Cinco MUD #8, Harris
County W.C. & I.D. No. 36, Harris-
Galveston Subsidence District
• Nearby: Lone Star Groundwater
Conservation District, The Woodlands
JPA, The Woodlands Township, Fort
Bend County MUD #25, Parkway Utility
District, City of Sugar Land

39. Fort Worth Water
2017-2018 Collaboration Effort with Fort Worth Water :
• Goal was to expand traditional water conservation
outreach to include Hispanic community
• Looked to “transcreate” (not just translate) materials
and media for outreach
• Developed Loteria game and other outreach material
Forth Worth Outreach:
• Distributed Fix-A-Leak conservation kits during the
week
• Hosted “pop-ups” in the community, with focus on
locations with Hispanic audiences
• Partnered with local school or community center to
create visual art display
In 2019, we are working with Miami-Dade County Water
and Sewer to develop and transcreate material for their
Hispanic customers

40. Frisco
• Used Fix a Leak Week in 2017 as a hook to launch a series of successful events and workshops
1st event had 70
attendees and was
so successful that
they did 13 more
workshops. And
replicated by Ft
Worth and OKC!

41. Texas A&M AgriLife Dallas Extension
• Offered a variety of classes
• Marking flags distributed to encourage
residents to check their irrigation systems
for leaks, misdirected or broken heads, or
other outdoor water wasting issues
• Biggest problems seen in the field
• Overwatering
• Improper design and installation (esp.
older systems)
• Improper scheduling practices
• No routine maintenance
• Activity adopted by Cobb County Water in
Georgia based on TX example
Find it, Flag it, Fix it

42. Cinco MUD #8
• Small utility serving 1,000 makes the most
of leveraging WaterSense tools
• In 2016, they promoted all of the
WaterSense campaigns and customized
bill stuffers that were sent to every home
that they serve
• Recognized with an honorable mention
“Above and Beyond” certificate in 2017 for
their efforts
• Highlights the benefit materials can play
for very small utilities

43. Plano and Fort Worth
Both brought the “Chase Down Leaks” theme to life by sponsoring running races that
also featured fun educational activities for kids (big and small). Both showed how Fix a
Leak Week can serve as a great hook for community events.

44. Dallas Water
Lead: Dallas Water Utilities for 2010 Fix a Leak Week
Partners: City of Dallas, Kohler, Lowes, local
plumbing contractors
Goal: Knock out a backlog for their lower income/senior
customers replacement program
• Reached more than 100 homes, helped save 2
million gallons

45. My final pitch

46. Partners Make Savings Possible
• WaterSense would not be successful if not for its
more than 1,900 partners
• Manufacturers design and create products to
meet specs
• Retailers/Distributors get products on shelves
• Builders construct water-efficient homes using
products
• Certification providers inspect and label homes
• Professional certifying organizations who train
irrigation professionals to help homeowners
water more efficiently
• Promotional partners spread the word
• Water utilities, state and local governments,
nonprofit organizations, and home builder
associations

47. 47
What WaterSense Brings –
Tools and Resources

48. …and more

49. 49
• Become a WaterSense partner – it’s free!
• Gain access to and knowledge from a
network of partners across the country
• Earn national recognition for your work
• Recruit new or work with existing
WaterSense partners
• Promote WaterSense labeled products
• Adopt irrigation certification programs and
encourage irrigation professionals to get
certified
• Continue to educate your friends, families,
and consumers about the importance of
water efficiency and WaterSense
There is Strength in Numbers - Join us!

50. 50
• Website: www.epa.gov/watersense
• Email: watersense@epa.gov
• Toll-free Helpline:
(866) WTR-SENS (987-7367)
For More Information
Twitter.com/epawatersense
Facebook.com/epawatersense
We also have content on EPA’s Flickr, Pinterest, and YouTube channels