SCV Water has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a 2020 WaterSense Excellence Award winner for its Multifamily Apartment Program, which strives to improve water efficiency in multifamily housing.

“We’re honored to win our first WaterSense Excellence Award,” said Resource Conservation Manager Matt Dickens. “We’re so fortunate to have property management companies that were willing to partner with us in saving water in our valley.”

SCV Water is one of only 13 entities nationwide to receive the Excellence award. In total, 29 entities, which include utilities, manufacturers, builders and other organizations were recognized by WaterSense in 2020, including 8 WaterSense Partners of the Year, and 8 Sustained Excellence Award winners.

“Since the program started in 2006, our WaterSense partners have made it possible for consumers and businesses to save more than 4.4 trillion gallons of water and $87 billion on utility bills,” said Veronica Blette, WaterSense program manager. “Our award winners in particular have gone above and beyond to make water, energy, and money savings easy for Americans.”

SCV Water’s Multifamily Apartment Program

SCV Water developed its Multifamily Apartment Program using the EPA’s Water Score for Multifamily Housing tool. The tool determines how efficiently a building uses water compared to similar properties nationwide. While an initial score is assessed, the focus is on efforts to increase the score by upgrading to water-saving devices such as toilets and showerheads and through irrigation efficiency improvements.

“We used the Water Score tool as an opportunity to start conversations, prioritize conservation potential, and track performance,” said Dickens. “Based on the initial scores, we reached out to GHP Management, which is focused on sustainability and manages several regional complexes, to help them improve their water scores and work towards achieving their conservation goals.”

In 2019, GHP Management’s three multifamily complexes received water efficiency check-ups, which included the installation of 1,800 high-efficiency showerheads, 2,600 kitchen and bathroom aerators, and nearly 3,000 water-saving toilets, as well as many leak repairs. Each unit also received information on more water-saving WaterSense products, tips and smart practices for efficient water use.

“Our initial effort with just these three properties saved an estimated 55 million gallons of water in 2019,” said Dickens, “We’ve collected water use data for nearly 80% of the multifamily complexes in the Valley and can’t wait to bring more of them on board to help save water and money for our customers.”

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About WaterSense and the WaterSense Awards:
WaterSense, a voluntary partnership program sponsored by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is both a label for water-efficient products and a resource for helping consumers learn ways to save water. WaterSense labeled products, homes, and programs helped consumers and businesses save 871 billion gallons of water in 2019, along with the energy used to heat that water and money on utility bills. For more information about WaterSense, visit www.epa.gov/watersense. WaterSense Award winners demonstrate their commitment to saving water by producing, building, and promoting labeled products and homes that are independently certified to use less water and perform well, as well as offering certification programs for water-smart irrigation professionals. For more information about WaterSense Awards, visit: https://www.epa.gov/watersense/watersense-awards.

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About SCV Water:
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) is a full-service regional water agency located in the Santa Clarita Valley. SCV Water provides water service to approximately 74,000 business and residential customers. It was formed on January 1, 2018, when local water suppliers combined into one integrated, regional water provider. More information can be found at www.yourSCVwater.com.

For more information, contact Kathie Martin, SCV Water’s public information officer at kmartin@scvwa.org.