Marietta, GA—Because minor water leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted each year in U.S. homes, ecoTransitions is promoting “Fix a Leak Week,” March 15 through 21, 2010. Fix a Leak Week is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) WaterSense® program as an annual reminder to Americans to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.
“Leaks can add up to more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted at home every year—that’s enough to fill a backyard swimming pool,” said Andrea Paulinellli, CEO and President. “ecoTransitions is participating in Fix a Leak Week to help homeowners save money on their utility bills and to help save water in our community and for future generations. Atlanta may lose its rights to access water from Lake Lanier in 2012. If that is the case, Georgia must undertake the difficult — and costly — process of either living on less or finding more water. By replacing old, water-guzzling fixtures in our households, we can make a great start in reducing our indoor water use by up to 50 percent.”
To help consumers here in Georgia and across the country save water, ecoTransitions and WaterSense are promoting ways to identify and repair dripping faucets, running toilets, and leaky showerheads. In most cases, fixture replacement parts pay for themselves quickly and can be installed by do-it-yourselfers, your favorite handy person, plumber, or WaterSense irrigation partner. Following are a few water-saving tips:
- Reduce faucet leaks by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and, if necessary, replace the faucet with a WaterSense labeled model.
- Leaky toilets are most often the result of a worn toilet flapper. Replacing the rubber flapper is a quick fix that could save a home with a constantly running toilet up to 200 gallons of water per day. If the leaky toilet uses 3.5 gallons per flush, replace it with a High Efficiency Toilet and save hundreds of Dollars per year.
- For a leaky garden hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench.
- Landscape irrigation systems should be checked each spring before use to make sure they are not damaged by frost or freezing.
If homeowners have to replace a plumbing fixture, ecoTransitions reminds them to look for the WaterSense label. WaterSense labeled toilets, faucets, and (soon) showerheads have been independently tested and certified to save water and perform as well as or better than standard models. For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak.
About ecoTransitions Inc Located in Marietta, Georgia, near Atlanta, ecoTransitions is a supplier for WaterSense labeled Caroma Dual Flush toilets. These High Efficiency Toilets (HET’s) qualify for the $100 Toilet rebate available in most Metro Atlanta Counties. On the Web: http://www.ecotransitions.com , Email: sales@ecotransitions.com, Phone: (678) 313-9260.
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WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water. For more information on WaterSense, and for a full list of labeled products and WaterSense irrigation and builder partners, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.
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Revised Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification – Public comment period until July 7
Source http://www.epa.gov/watersense/specs/homes.htm
Update
EPA will conduct a public meeting on June 10, 2009 from 8 am – 5 pm (Eastern Time) at the Holiday Inn Capitol – Washington, DC . To register for the meeting, please fill out and submit the Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Public Meeting Registration Form by June 3, 2009.
EPA will hold an additional public Webinar on June 22, 2009 from 1 pm – 4 pm (Eastern Time) for those unable to attend the Washington, DC meeting. To register for the Webinar, please fill out and submit the Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Public Meeting Registration Form by June 17, 2009.
Revised Specification Information
EPA released a draft specification for water-efficient single-family new homes on May 22, 2008. Based on substantial feedback and significant revisions, EPA released a revised draft specification on May 8, 2009.
This specification establishes the criteria for water-efficient new homes under EPA’s WaterSense program. When finalized, it will be applicable to newly constructed single-family homes and townhomes, three stories or less in size.
In addition, to meet the Landscape Design Criteria (Section 4.1.1), the builder may choose to comply by completing a water budget. EPA has developed a tool to guide these calculations. The first version of the tool, released on November 20, 2008, was based on methodology developed by the irrigation industry as described in Irrigation Association’s Landscape Irrigation Scheduling and Water Management (2005). This second version incorporates additional research and recommendations suggested by stakeholders as part of the public comment process.
The third-party verification of WaterSense labeled new homes is intended to confirm that the builder has met the criteria of EPA’s specification for water-efficient single-family new homes. The inspection and irrigation audit guidelines explains how inspectors verify that the criteria have been met and must be followed in conjunction with the specification. These guidelines have been revised to incorporate revisions to the specification criteria and methods by which they will be tested.
Inspection Guidelines and Inspection Checklist (PDF) (21 pp, 208K, About PDF)
EPA is interested in obtaining input from all interested parties on the revised draft specification materials. The public comment period is open for 60 days and ends on July 7, 2009. Please send any comments or suggestions regarding the revised draft specification materials to <watersense-newhomes@erg.com>. All comments become a part of the public record.
In order to facilitate the consistency and utility of comments received, please submit your comments using the Template for Public Comment Submission (MS Word) (1 pp, 50K). You may either download and save this document template and directly insert your comments, or attach your comments in your own document, provided that you clearly reference the text/section in question, your recommended changes, and why you think these changes are needed.
Additionally, WaterSense will be conducting a public comment meeting in June 2009. Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
For more information about the water-efficient single family new home specification process, including the first draft, public comments, and EPA’s response to the public comments of the specification and water budget tool, please see the Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification Background Materials page.
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