Santa Clara Valley Water District, also known as Valley Water, has been awarded its first WaterSense Partner of the Year Award.
The award recognizes the district’s efforts in promoting water conservation through a variety of programs and initiatives that incorporate WaterSense labeled products.
“It’s an honor for Valley Water to receive the Partner of the Year Award, with the key word being partner,” says Nai Hsueh, Valley Water Board Chair. “Collaboration with WaterSense and the community is essential as we face a changing climate impacting our water supply. We’re excited about more opportunities to work together to make water conservation a way of life.”
Some of the conservation initiatives the utility is engaged in that were noted in the award announcement include:
- Valley Water’s Landscape Rebate Program, Online Shopping Cart Program, and direct-install Fixture Replacement Program are key components of its water-saving strategy, according to the WaterSense award. Through the eCart program, Valley Water provided free, high-efficiency devices to properties in Santa Clara County, distributing over 9,000 WaterSense labeled showerheads and other items in 2022.
- The Landscape Rebate Program incentivized the adoption of more than 600 WaterSense labeled weather-based irrigation controllers and nearly 1,900 WaterSense labeled spray sprinkler bodies.
- Virtual weekly “Office Hours” and a six-part webinar series on Zoom and Facebook Live, discussing outdoor water efficiency with local experts. These sessions were translated live in up to four languages and reached over 600 residents.
- A multilingual water conservation campaign titled “Is Your Yard Drought Ready? Our rebates can help make the change,” promoted the rebates with digital ads, social media posts, videos, radio ads and print advertorials in community newspapers.
- A Speakers Bureau Program delivered drought information to various community groups across Santa Clara County. At 38 community presentations, staff distributed WaterSense labeled products to more than 1,000 attendees throughout the year.
