The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized Alameda County Water District with a WaterSense Excellence Award for promoting WaterSense labeled products, marking the third time the District has received this esteemed recognition. ACWD was one of 22 Excellence Award winners honored at the WaterSmart Innovations (WSI) Conference in Las Vegas on September 26.
WaterSense is both a label for water-efficient products and a resource for consumers to learn ways to save water. More than 2,100 manufacturers, builders, retailers, utilities, government and nonprofit organizations partner with WaterSense to produce and promote water-efficient products, programs and homes.
Since EPA launched the program in 2006, nearly 46,000 WaterSense labeled models of plumbing and irrigation products have helped consumers and businesses save 8.7 trillion gallons of water and $207 billion in water and energy bills. These savings also helped prevent 379 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is equivalent to planting 6.3 billion trees.
WaterSense recognized ACWD for its water conservation achievements in 2023. The District encouraged customers to save water in the garden by hosting landscape workshops featuring water-efficient practices and issuing rebates for WaterSense labeled weather-based irrigation controllers and sprinkler spray bodies. The District encouraged indoor water use efficiency through its promotional partnership with the Rising Sun Center for Opportunity’s Green House Call program, which distributed WaterSense labeled showerheads and kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators to nearly 100 homes. In addition to water-saving devices, ACWD provides its customers with information on finding and fixing leaks through an online portal.