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In February, the EPA announced the finalized release of its WaterSense program. The new specification was created in order to encourage builders and home owners to protect the future of our nation’s water supply through efficiency. WaterSense is the first voluntary national program of its kind and compliments existing popular green building programs like the US. Green Building Council’s LEED program. While developed over the past three years primarily as a specification program for new home construction, the basic principles can be applied in any existing home as well.
New homes in Pinellas County and other Tampa Bay areas built to WaterSense specifications would be 20% more efficient in water use when compared to traditionally built homes – reducing water usage by as much as 10,000 gallons per year. “These homes will save homeowners as much as $200 a year on utility bills compared to their current homes” says Peter S. Silva, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Water. In order to qualify, each home must meet the program’s stringent criteria for performance and efficiency and be thoroughly inspected and certified by an EPA licensed provider.
Newly built homes are not the only way to join the WaterSense movement. Owners of existing homes in Pinellas County, for example, could replace existing fixtures with those labeled with the program’s seal. A list of approved products available nationwide can be found on the EPA’s website by clicking here.
There are approximately 1.27 million new construction homes completed each year in this country. If all were WaterSense approved, more than 12 billion gallons of water would be saved. If builders of homes in Pinellas county, as well as those in Hillsborough and Pasco began to participate in this EPA program, the local impact could be huge.
Although a search today on the WaterSense website did not find any local builders, government agencies, or non-profits that have become partners in the program we certainly hope that Tampa Bay will soon have a presence. In the meantime there are plenty of vendors elsewhere in Florida and across the nation who can help. For more information on those agencies and companies who are approved, please view the Partner List.
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