2015 WaterSense Award Winners Award Winners Make a Difference Every Day

2015 WaterSense®
Award Winners Make a
Difference Every Day
WaterSense and its partners have helped Americans save 1.1 trillion gallons of
water and $21.7 billion in water and energy bills since the program began in
2006. In 2014 alone, WaterSense labeled products saved 346 billion gallons of
water. By working together, WaterSense partners across the country continue
to make a difference every day.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to recognize four Sustained Excellence Award
winners, seven WaterSense Partners of the Year, and six Excellence Award winners for helping to advance and
promote WaterSense and water efficiency throughout 2014.
SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE
Kohler Co.
Kohler Co., now a three-time WaterSense Sustained Excellence winner,
made it a priority in 2014 to address the country's drought concerns. The
company worked with The Home Depot to provide special promotions on
WaterSense labeled toilets and showerheads in areas hardest hit by
California's drought. In addition, Kohler employees collaborated with the City of Brownwood, Texas, to offer
significant discounts on WaterSense labeled toilets, faucets, and showerheads and helped retrofit Brownwood
City Hall with water-efficient products. Looking beyond products, Kohler supported the Charting New Waters
initiative, led by the Johnson Foundation, which gathered stakeholders to identify solutions to protect water
resources across the country.
Kohler continued to educate consumers and professionals through its "Trust the Flush" mobile marketing
campaign. The 2014 cross-country bus tour showcased WaterSense labeled toilets at nearly 200 events,
including multiple stops at WaterSense distributor partners. For the second consecutive year, Kohler provided
WaterSense labeled products for the Green Builder Media's VISION House® in INNOVENTIONS at Walt Disney
World's Epcot® in Orlando, Florida, which was visited by more than 200,000 people.
Delta Faucet Company
Delta Faucet Company, a three-time Manufacturer Partner of the Year,
earned its first WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award for its
„ collaborative efforts to promote water efficiency and WaterSense labeled
faucet company products in 2014. Delta met quarterly with major home improvement
retailers to create and execute strategic plans to promote WaterSense
labeled products To help hotels understand water efficiency improvements and the possible need for installing
WaterSense labeled showerheads, Delta worked with global hotel chains to conduct studies on guests' water
usage and shower experiences.
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2015 WaterSense® Award Winners Make a Difference Every Day
Further expanding its WaterSense labeled product line,
Delta introduced the WaterSense labeled FlushlQ® toilet in
2014, which offers leak detection and overflow protection to
promote water efficiency and includes a touch-free flush.
Delta's WaterSense labeled Dryden™ and Ara™ faucets
were recognized by an international trade publication for
design excellence.
In 2014, Delta launched the HappiMess campaign to help
consumers embrace mess with confidence knowing that
WaterSense labeled and other water-efficient products will
be there to help clean up even the dirtiest of messes. The
campaign utilized both traditional and social media outreach,
including a feature in more than 90 blog posts, more than
2,700 tweets leveraging the hashtag #HappiMess, and an
article in The New York Times, resulting in more than 83
million media impressions.
KB Home
*• l . i r«-«-¦
Delta's HappiMess campaign continued into 2015 at
Warrior Dash races nationwide, where runners
cleaned up with the help of WaterSense labeled
showerheads. (Photo: Steven Mitchell/AP Images for
Delta Faucet Company)
Four-time WaterSense Builder Partner of the Year KB Home received its first Sustained Excellence Award for
demonstrating its commitment to water efficiency by constructing 96 WaterSense labeled homes in 2014, an
increase of 60 percent from 2013. The company introduced five new communities in which all homes will be
designed to earn the WaterSense label.
KB
HOME
To further showcase its water efficiency innovation, KB Home built its first Double
ZeroHouse 2.0 model home in Lancaster, California, and its first Double ZeroHouse
3.0 model home in El Dorado Hills, California—both were designed to achieve net-zero
energy and the highest levels of resource efficiency. These homes are WaterSense
labeled and also feature water- and energy-efficient dishwashers and graywater
recycling systems. The Double ZeroHouse 3.0 model uses recycled drain water in all
of the home's WaterSense labeled toilets to achieve zero freshwater flushing.
KB Home's accomplishments in support of WaterSense were featured in two high-profile news stories: Builder
Magazine's "WaterSense Is Good Business Sense" in October 2014 and local television station KTLA's news
series "Be Waterwise Wednesdays" in August 2014. During 2014, KB continued to educate and train its sales
staff on water efficiency, including the benefits and features of the WaterSense label, and required employees to
pass a certification test regarding the proper use of the WaterSense label. KB Home also held trainings for
landscape and plumbing contractors on WaterSense's indoor and outdoor homes criteria.
The Home Depot
The Home Depot, a three-time WaterSense Retailer Partner of Year, earned its first
Sustained Excellence Award for its dedication to WaterSense education and outreach
efforts. In 2014, 518 billion WaterSense media impressions were generated. In
addition to regularly featuring WaterSense on The Home Depot's website and in-store
promotions, the company launched an online advertising campaign, featuring
WaterSense labeled products, through Google and high-traffic websites such as The
Weather Channel.
The company also hosted more than 80,000 Web-based video courses to train sales
associates on WaterSense and WaterSense labeled products, in order to help
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2015 WaterSense® Award Winners Make a Difference Every Day
consumers purchase WaterSense labeled products, the Home Depot offered markdowns on WaterSense
labeled products in stores and online, helping customers achieve more
than $39 million in product savings.
In conjunction with Fix a Leak Week 2014, The Home Depot ran a five-
week water efficiency national press campaign in the spring. During the
campaign, stores hosted events, including a special event at the retailer's
Raleigh, North Carolina, store in collaboration with WaterSense
promotional partner, the City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department. The
store invited the community to learn more about fixing leaks in their
homes and installing water-efficient products. Attendees were given water
conservation kits featuring WaterSense labeled products. The Home
Depot also partnered with AmeriCorps and the State of California to
distribute more than 30,000 water conservation kits to households in
disadvantaged communities affected by drought.
PROMOTIONAL PARTNERS OF THE YEAR
City of Charlottesville
"When we were approached by
the California governor's office
to help with easing the effects
of the drought in the West, we
knew this was an opportunity
to not only provide immediate
relief but also to educate about
the water conservation
commitments of WaterSense."
Ron Jarvis
Vice President of
Environmental Innovations
The Home Depot
County...Expect the Best!
The City of Charlottesville, Virginia, received the WaterSense Promotional Partner
of the Year award for its various events and outreach promoting WaterSense in
2014. One of the city's most celebrated events was the Fix a Leak Week Family 5K
where 75 participants chased a "running toilet" to the finish line. Each participant
received t-shirts with the WaterSense program logo and information on the city's
WaterSense labeled toilet rebate program. In addition, the city participated in a
number of events focused on children, including Kid*Vention, an annual science
event sponsored by the Virginia
CJ

Discovery Museum with more than
1,200 attendees. At the event, the City of Charlottesville
distributed numerous activity books that included stickers and
pens with tips on "The Top 5 Ways to Save Water."
The city also partnered with Charlottesville's Local Energy
Alliance Program (LEAP), which offered local home energy
check-ups and identified areas for water-efficient improvements.
To encourage residents to implement the identified changes, the
city provided all LEAP home energy coaches with water
conservation kits containing WaterSense labeled showerheads
The City of Charlottesville, Virginia, promoted and leak-detection dye tablets that were distributed to LEAP
water efficiency at Kid*Vention, an annual science participants,
event with more than 1,200 attendees.
The City of Charlottesville developed a "Blue Team" comprised
of a small group of high school students who conducted door-to-door outreach to more than 200 homes and
provided residents with water conservation kits, including WaterSense labeled showerheads and additional
product rebate information. Through radio advertisements, local events,
online outreach, and social media, the city was able to distribute nearly
500 toilet rebates to both residential and multi-family homes. /V;, \ - \
Cobb County Water System
Cobb County Water System in Georgia, now a four-time WaterSense
Promotional Partner of the Year, made an effort to participate in all of
WaterSense's outreach campaigns in 2014 For the hteOtel Challenge,
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2015 WaterSense® Award Winners Make a Difference Every Day
Cobb County offered free water audits at hotel facilities and distributed marketing materials with WaterSense
messaging. The utility successfully recruited five hotels to participate in the Challenge and featured one of the
hotels in its Water $aver quarterly e-newsletter. To promote Sprinkler Spruce-Up, Cobb County produced a
segment for the local county cable station, instructing consumers about water-efficient irrigation systems and
successful watering practices. The utility also had a hands-on WaterSense labeled irrigation controller
demonstration in its lobby during Sprinkler Spruce-Up where consumers could practice scheduling the weather-
based irrigation controller and ask questions of county staff. As part of Fix a Leak Week 2014 and the Green
Cities program, Cobb County collaborated with Niagara Conservation and Green Plumbers USA to replace
toilets and showerheads with WaterSense labeled models. For the Shower Better campaign, Cobb County
provided 3,600 WaterSense labeled showerheads to Kennesaw State University students to retrofit their dorms.
"Our most successful initiatives
always begin and end with
great partnerships, and
WaterSense is one of those
partners, as well as the bridge
we often use to build other
partnerships."
Kathy Nguyen
Senior Project Manager
Cobb County Water System
In addition to supporting WaterSense campaigns, Cobb County once
again participated in the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning
District's Water Drop Dash 5K. During the event, Cobb County distributed
100 outdoor water efficiency kits to attendees who visited four exhibitors
during the water festival. Cobb County also held events at local Home
Depot stores during a Georgia sales tax holiday weekend and gave away
6,000 WaterSense labeled showerheads to consumers throughout the
year.
The utility supported a couple key research initiatives and concluded a
three-year grant project on the outdoor component of WaterSense labeled
homes. The results included three articles that described how the financial
barriers for achieving WaterSense labeled homes outdoor criteria were not
significant.
Murray City Corporation
WaterSense Promotional Partner of the Year Murray City Corporation in Utah used its limited resources to make
a big water efficiency splash in its small community. The city launched its Tap Into Murray Quality campaign to
promote WaterSense and water conservation as its key message to customers. The campaign incorporated
WaterSense promotional materials, including bill stuffers, blog posts, the WaterSense promotional label, and
social media posts to promote awareness. To educate the community about
WaterSense, Murray City hosted a traveling booth at local farmers' markets, youth
sporting events, and other local happenings to introduce residents to WaterSense and
learn how to be more water-efficient.
Murray City partnered with local plumbers and plumbing suppliers during Fix a Leak
Week 2014 to educate consumers about water efficiency, fixing leaks, and the city's
rebate program. Plumbers and plumbing companies promoted the event and offered
"Fix a Leak Week" discounts to their customers. When Murray City hosted a Fix a Leak
Week booth at a local Lowe's Home Improvement store, it resulted in the Lowe's store
selling out of its WaterSense labeled showerheads. The city surveyed both plumbers
and rebate participants on their experiences with WaterSense labeled products in an
effort to gain more research on product satisfaction. Nearly 80 percent of participants
surveyed indicated they would purchase WaterSense labeled products again. Staff also partnered with the
National Energy Foundation and administered a survey to obtain results from its Water Wise Kids program and
water-efficient practices. The city found that the education program was effective, as the kids surveyed were
knowledgeable about ways to be water-efficient. For example, 80 percent of the kids said they take five-minute
showers, and nearly 40 percent have helped their parents install water-efficient aerators in their homes.
M
MURRAY
CITY
WAT E R
Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas
ATexas A&M Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas received a
/\rTD T T Tpp WaterSense Promotional Partner of the Year award for its efforts to promote
RESEARCH I EXTENSION
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2015 WaterSense® Award Winners Make a Difference Every Day
WaterSense to consumers across the state of Texas. In 2014, Texas AgriLife continued touring with its Mobile
WaterSense Home, an 8-by-14-foot mobile home with a bathroom showcasing a WaterSense labeled dual-flush
toilet, bathroom sink fixture, and showerhead. Texas AgriLife also created giant irrigation heads and flags
promoting the Find It, Flag It, Fix It campaign, which was launched in conjunction with Fix a Leak Week 2014.
The Find It, Flag It, Fix It campaign encouraged homeowners to inspect their in-ground irrigation systems for
leaks and flag any necessary points of repair. About 6,000 irrigation flags with the Find It, Flag It, Fix It slogan,
Texas AgriLife's website, and the WaterSense partner logo were distributed to consumers. In addition to
promoting to consumers, Texas AgriLife's WaterSense labeled home was showcased during a traveling
demonstration to professional audiences.
At 24 regional outreach events, Texas AgriLife proudly displayed the WaterSense partner logo and promoted
WaterSense labeled products, either with the use of the Mobile WaterSense Home, the dual-flush toilet
demonstration, or the wall of irrigation controller demonstrations. Texas AgriLife also exhibited information on
WaterSense labeled weather-based irrigation controllers and rainwater harvesting at the State Fair of Texas. In
total, Texas AgriLife was able to reach nearly 500,000 participants at these events.
In 2014, Texas AgriLife had 46 appearances on a Sunday morning news program reaching 560,000 viewers
each week. In addition to the news program, Urban Water Team members conducted 19 television interviews
related to the WaterSense labeled homes, irrigation-related water efficiency, and plant selection, reaching a
viewership of nearly 2 million. The organization also started work with a local developer on the design of a new
residential community featuring WaterSense labeled homes. When fully constructed in 2015, the development
will have 900 homes, 120 townhomes, and an elementary school.
MANUFACTURER PARTNER OF THE YEAR
The Toro Company
The Toro Company earned the WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year award
for its demonstrated commitment to expanding awareness of WaterSense labeled
products in 2014. Its regional sales managers partnered with water agencies
throughout their territories to educate end users on the installation and programming
of weather-based irrigation controllers and municipal rebates. The company also
partnered with the Irrigation Association's regional chapters and other organizations
to train and educate contractors and distributors, including John Deere
Landscapes, on water efficiency best practices, availability of WaterSense labeled
products, and tips on how to install and use weather-based irrigation controllers to
obtain maximum water efficiency.
To further promote water efficiency, The Toro Company featured its WaterSense labeled weather-based
irrigation controllers at 30 national and regional trade shows, expositions, and sales events with exposure to
more than 70,000 consumers, contractors, landscape architects, and irrigation professionals. In addition to its
outreach, the Toro Company supported WaterSense as it conducted research about soil-moisture based control
technologies by developing test criteria for these products.
LICENSED CERTIFICATION PROVIDER PARTNER OF THE YEAR
Energy Inspectors Corporation
Three-time WaterSense Licensed Certification Provider Partner of the Year Energy
Inspectors Corporation exemplified its continued leadership in the WaterSense New
^ Homes program and maintained its strong collaboration with WaterSense builder
partners in 2014. Working closely with KB Home, the company certified more than 95
properties that met WaterSense homes criteria—double the number of homes it
certified in 2013. With Energy Inspectors' support and promotion in 2014, KB Home
ENERGY INSPECTORS®
TORO
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2015 WaterSense® Award Winners Make a Difference Every Day
committed to building 10 communities of WaterSense labeled homes, which represents around 600 homes.
The company's inspectors continue to follow its hands-on training approach to the WaterSense Labeled New
Home Inspection Checklist on model homes. To date, Energy Inspectors Corporation has trained 11 inspectors
to perform WaterSense specification inspections. In 2014, the company developed an online training video for
both new and existing inspectors to maintain their knowledge on performing WaterSense labeled home
inspections.
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFYING ORGANIZATION PARTNER OF THE YEAR
Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership
k a _ . Two-time WaterSense Professional Certifying Organization Partner of the Year
Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership (SMSWP) in California continued to
promote the WaterSense labeled Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL)
rmiiKir uiATcn certification program. In 2014, SMSWP accepted four professional certifying
bAVIIMu WAI tK organizations that adopted the QWEL certification program and certified 200
*0 ,0. professionals. It also continued to educate irrigation professionals and its customers
*$^6 on the benefits of sound landscape design, management, and irrigation practices,
N " including WaterSense labeled weather-based irrigation controllers. Outreach to
existing QWEL certified professionals increased in 2014 with the launch of the
monthly QWEL North Bay Newsletter, which provided information related to WaterSense training and continuing
education opportunities.
SMSWP continued collaborating with the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials in 2014
to jointly promote the Green Plumbers Training program and QWEL through its newly developed website at
www.gpqwel.org. In early 2014, SMSWP refined the QWEL graywater specialty training module with instructions
covering graywater codes in California, system design and sizing, laundry-to-landscape, branched drain
systems, and plant selection. Using the module, they sponsored a successful initial class in Sonoma County,
California, in April 2014 with 23 participants. SMSWP also began working with a San Francisco-based nonprofit
organization, WaterNow, to increase the reach of the QWEL graywater module and train additional irrigation
professionals and plumbers to install graywater systems.
2015 Excellence Awards
EXCELLENCE IN STRATEGIC COLLABORATION
Colorado Springs Utilities
In 2014, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) in Colorado developed
successful partnerships with a variety of organizations to promote the
WaterSense mission. For example, CSU helped the University of
Colorado at Colorado Springs by supporting a student-led dormitory ("nlnr^Hn ^nrinrK I Itilitip^
retrofit of early 1990s-era toilets with WaterSense labeled models. ^-UlUIdUU jpilliyb UUIllltrb
Students researched and tested multiple models and ultimately 'f's how we're all connected
replaced 233 units, recycled the old models as aggregate, and completed rebate applications.
CSU introduced its "Guerilla Green" campaign, a proactive water efficiency education and outreach approach to
work with WaterSense partners and promote WaterSense in their communities. Staff developed relationships
with multiple WaterSense partners within their communities to elevate the value of water in business operations
and to establish WaterSense as the solution for implementing conservation initiatives. In turn, these partners
demonstrated their support for water efficiency by informing their customers about WaterSense and how to
participate in available CSU incentive programs.
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2015 WaterSense® Award Winners Make a Difference Every Day
EXCELLENCE IN PROMOTING WATERSENSE LABELED PRODUCTS
Denver Water
Denver Water in Colorado promoted the adoption of WaterSense
nFMVFP \»VA I L i) labeled products through retailer education, rebate programs,
L^LI^I V l_l\ VV/AI l_l\ and targeted outreach. Staff visited approximately 60 retail
outlets in 2014 and held conversations with sales and customer
service representatives, provided point-of-sale displays for applicable products, and received feedback on
customer service. The Denver Water conservation team members worked with retailers to promote the utility's
toilet rebate program, explain WaterSense performance testing, and encourage retailers to carry more
WaterSense labeled products. The utility also offered rebates for Watersense labeled toilets and promote the
use of every WaterSense labeled product category.
In addition, Denver Water launched a new WaterSense Challenge in 2014 to identify large, multi-family buildings
with exceptionally high indoor water use per unit. A dedicated team member worked closely with participants to
conduct a home makeover using WaterSense labeled fixtures. In 2014, Denver Water encouraged eight large
condominium and apartment complexes (approximately 3,700 units) to retrofit bathrooms with WaterSense
labeled fixtures.
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
In 2014, the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District educated consumers
about water efficiency and WaterSense labeled products across Metro Atlanta. In
conjunction with WaterSense's Fix a Leak Week, the Metro Water District hosted its
annual Water Drop Dash 5K and Water Festival to promote simple ways to find and fix
leaks in homes. Prior to the event, the Metro Water District partnered with Cox Media
Group to air 15-second radio spots and a 30-minute interview about Fix a Leak Week
and the event. More than 700 runners participated in the 2014 race, and each runner
received indoor and outdoor water conservations kits. At the Water Festival, the Metro
Water District and 11 participating water utilities provided hands-on, water-related activities
and giveaways, such as toilet dye tablets, shower timers, and rain gauges.
In addition, the Metro Water District educated consumers about WaterSense labeled products by promoting its
rebate program via its website, press releases, program fliers, and Georgia Sales Tax Holiday materials. They
also updated two irrigation brochures that educate consumers about WaterSense labeled weather-based
irrigation controllers and reminds consumers to hire certified irrigation professionals.
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) utilized
information in WaterSense materials to develop the New Hampshire We're for
newhampshire Water campaign tailored specifically for state residents. NHDES also
^ departmentof promotec| the WaterSense label statewide and encouraged water behavioral
environmental changes through a social marketing campaign. NHDES held a New
^ Services Hampshire Cute Kid Photo Contest within the department to compile photos
for marketing the WaterSense program. The winner was featured on the cover
of a "Saving Water Is in Your Future" brochure featuring WaterSense's simple steps to save water.
In addition to its outreach to residents, NHDES educated utilities, municipalities, and other stakeholders about
WaterSense and encouraged them to become partners. NHDES also collaborated with the NHSaves program, a
partnership program between several electric and gas utilities in New Hampshire, to update its catalog in 2014
with WaterSense labeled products and a Shower Better infographic.

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2015 WaterSense® Award Winners Make a Difference Every Day
EXCELLENCE IN SPRINKLER SPRUCE-UP ACTIVITIES
Municipal Water District of Orange County
In spring and fall of 2014, the Municipal Water District of Orange County
(MWDOC) in California used the Orange County Garden Friendly
(OCGF) Program as a platform to promote WaterSense's Sprinkler
Spruce-Up campaign with water-efficient plant choices, MWDOC teamed
up with the Orange County Stormwater Program and University of
California Cooperative Extension to host six events throughout Orange
County—three at Home Depot stores and three at other local garden centers. At these events, more than 700
retail customers learned about WaterSense labeled weather-based irrigation controllers and the importance of
"sprucing up" irrigation systems,
WaterSense labeled weather-based irrigation controller sales increased during the events by more than 225
percent at three Home Depot stores as compared to the average daily sales. Through the OCGF platform,
MWDOC distributed approximately 25,000 fliers to Home Depot stores across Orange County to promote
WaterSense labeled products eligible for rebates.
EXCELLENCE IN PROMOTING THE WATER/ENERGY NEXUS
Puget Sound Energy

MUNICIPAL

WATER
I
DISTRICT

~RANGE
. 1
COUNTY
PUGET
SOUND
ENERGY
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) in Bellevue, Washington continued to demonstrate
its leading role in promoting the water/energy nexus in 2014 by launching a
sports-themed Energy Upgrade campaign targeting 14 high-profile events. The
campaign's cornerstone event was held in September 2014. PSE targeted
ferry, bus, light-rail, and train
commuters as they made their
way to an NFL football game between the Seattle Seahawks and
the Denver Broncos. Commuters received a Golden Upgrade
Ticket to redeem for a free WaterSense labeled showerhead or
energy-efficient appliance. In total, 10,037 golden tickets were
distributed and 29 percent were redeemed.
Another key component of the campaign's success was its
retailer and manufacturer partnerships. Partners such as Kohler
Co. donated prizes, and PSE increased its rebates on the
partners' WaterSense labeled products during the campaign.
A PSE employee (left) gives a Golden Upgrade
Ticket to a Seattle Seahawks fan.
Learn More
WaterSense congratulates all of the 2015 Sustained Excellence Award winners, Partners of the Year, and
Excellence Award winners. For more information about the WaterSense Partner of the Year awards and to
learn about the benefits of partnership, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.
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