EPA Recognizes Water Efficiency Leaders

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing six winners of the 2007 Water Efficiency Leader (WEL) awards for their efforts in reducing, reusing and recycling water. A panel of national water experts chose the winners based on three criteria: leadership, innovation and water saved.

The WEL Awards help foster a nationwide ethic of water efficiency, which is critical to the growing U.S. economy and quality of life. Due to demographic shifts, increased demand and aging water infrastructure, there is a national need for more efficient use of our water resources. The EPA recognizes this need and has developed the WEL Awards—in addition to other initiatives, such as a product labeling—under the WaterSense program and a national organization to foster water efficiency.

Winners of the 2007 WEL Awards are:

• Intel Corp.’s Ocotillo Campus, Chandler, Ariz.: This company's three initiatives focus on the collective recycling of 75% of the water used during manufacturing, thereby reducing their net demand for city water; the take-back of 825 million gal of treated wastewater from the city’s wastewater plant; the internal re-use of 530 million gal of water; and treatment of 575 million gal of water to drinking water standards that is then returned to the local underwater aquifer.

• Santa Clara Valley Water District, San Jose, Calif.: This water management agency helped the community reduce water demand by 55,000 acre-ft, or 12% of present demand, through conservation and water recycling, with plans to further reduce demand for water.

• Frito-Lay, Plano, Texas: Frito-Lay's efforts at its 33 facilities resulted in the 39% reduction of water consumption per pound of product since 1999.

• Lackland Air Force Base (pictured), Lackland, Texas: This military base uses comprehensive water conservation measures and purchases recycled wastewater for reuse on the base.

• The Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center (KPPC) at the University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky.: The center finds profitable pollution prevention solutions for the metal industry to reduce the need for, and cost associated with, end-of-pipe controls. One example includes KPPC's assistance, which resulted in a 30% net water savings, valued at $50,000 annually, while production at the metal finishing plant increased 50%.

• Allan Dietemann, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle: Dietemann has promoted water conservation for 20 years, resulting in reduced water consumption for businesses, government and homeowners.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency