DATE: July 29, 2016
NAME: Samantha Baker
Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division
PHONE: 954.519.1222
EMAIL: stbaker@broward.org
Broward County, FL - In April and May, residents in participating Broward Water Partnership communities worked hard to save water, and tell others how. The Neighborhood Water Challenge got residents focused on water conservation in its many forms including reuse and water quality protection. The Challenge had two specific categories: who could save the most water, and who could create a conservation outreach program of their own and document the results.
The 2016 Neighborhood Water Challenge winners are:
Most Water Saved: Joseph and Sandra Guadalupe from Margate
Conservation Outreach Program: Tracey DeBlasio and nephews from Dania Beach who are customers of Broward's Water and Wastewater Services, and Laura Lenes from Cooper City
The Guadalupe family saved the most water. They reduced their 2016 April and May water bills by an average of 22 percent over 2015 bills during the same period. The Guadalupe's per day consumption of water in April fell from 170 gallons a day in 2015 to only 107 gallons a day in 2016, a 37 percent reduction for the month.
"Saving water in our house is a habit we created a long time ago," said Joseph Guadalupe. "During the contest, if I heard water running in the house, I went running to find out where it was coming from." The Guadalupe family will receive $1,000 from the Broward Water Partnership, WateReuse Florida and WaterOptimizer.
The second place winners are Lisa Milenkovic and Maureen Lundell of Sunrise. They reduced their water usage by 11 percent over the two-month period. They will receive a state-of-the-art WaterOptimizer irrigation system valued at $700.
In the Conservation Outreach Program category, contestants explained how conservation and reuse are more than saving water; they are about using all of our water resources wisely. In this category there was a tie. The DeBlasio family, customers of Broward County Water & Waste Water Services, and Laura Lenes both submitted award-winning entries.
Tracy DeBlasio and her nephews created a 6-part YouTube series and scrapbooks that took viewers all over Broward County, highlighting various aspects of water conservation and treatment. Lenes wrote and produced a music video entitled, "Drip Drop - Let's Conserve Together to Make it Stop." Both winners will each receive $1,000 from the Broward Water Partnership.
"While we're glad to offer toilet rebates in participating partnership communities, and we know that they provide ongoing savings, we recognize that changing behavior is the best way to ensure we maximize savings across all of our communities," said Jennifer Jurado, Director and Chief Resiliency Officer of the Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division. "Together we ensure that conservation is part of who we are in Broward County."
In the past four years, Broward residents, nonprofits and businesses have saved more than 1 billion gallons of water through the Conservation Pays program from Broward Water Partnership.
About Broward Water Partnership
Broward Water Partnership is a collaboration of Broward County and 18 utilities and local governments. In addition to the Neighborhood Water Challenge, many members of the Partnership offer high efficiency toilet rebates and other free conservation devices like aerators and low-flow showerheads. Visit ConservationPays.com.
About Environmental Planning and Community Resilience
Broward County's Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division protects, restores and enhances the quality, abundance and diversity of the County's natural resources through coordinated management efforts in five areas: water resource policy and planning, urban and natural lands management, beach and marine resources, energy and sustainability, and environmental monitoring. For more information call 954-519-1270, visit our website or follow us on social media on Facebook or Twitter.
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