Citrus County Utilities wins WaterSense® Sustained Excellence Award
Citrus County, Florida - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized Citrus County Utilities with a 2020 WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award for promoting WaterSense and water efficiency in 2019. WaterSense recently recognized a total of 28 utilities, manufacturers, builders, and other organizations that are making it possible for consumers and businesses to save billions of gallons of water each year as part of its Partner of the Year Awards.
Citrus County Utilities was recognized with this second Sustained Excellence Award, for its work during 2019, educating citizens and encouraging use of WaterSense labeled products.
In January, staff members attended the Manatee Festival in Crystal River, where they distributed more than 150 toilet leak tablets and 100 faucet aerators.
During the annual Shrimpalooza festival in Homosassa, the utility celebrated Fix a Leak Week Mardi Gras style, hosting a booth with WaterSense information, toilet leak tablets, and water drop-shaped masks for children to decorate.
The utility also hosted its 12th annual water conservation expo, where it promoted its Schedule a Specialist program to help customers save water at home.
Citrus County also collaborated with WaterSense partner Southwest Florida Water Management District
(SWFWMD) to send more than 4,800 letters to consumers promoting Fix a Leak Week and explaining how to fix common leaks.
Citrus County hosted three Irrigation 101 workshops during 2019, to educate over 70 residents, new to irrigation systems, about outdoor water efficiency. The workshops discussed the benefits of WaterSense labeled irrigation controllers and promoted Citrus County Utilities' rebate program.
In 2019, the utility had great participation in its Schedule a Specialist program, with over 300 residents taking advantage of the free home audit and receiving free WaterSense labeled fixtures, WaterSense materials, and rebate information.
The county also held a raffle for residents to win a free WaterSense labeled irrigation controller.
Citrus County Utilities again collaborated with WaterSense partner, SWFWMD, to encourage a local Holiday Inn
Express to take advantage of the Water Incentives Supporting Efficiency program. Through this collaboration, the
hotel installed 78 WaterSense labeled toilets and qualified for approximately $6,000 in rebates.
The utility also collaborated with SWFWMD on an email and phone survey of its high water use customers to help implement a conservation education program in 2020.
For more information about WaterSense and the 2020 award winners, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.