Water Conservation Office Earns National Recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Introduction

The Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities Department has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the 2024 WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award for their efforts in promoting water efficiency and WaterSense in 2023. This marks the eighth consecutive year that the Public Utilities Department has received national recognition as a Sustained Excellence recipient. The department is committed to conserving water resources and values the community’s efforts in using water efficiently.

Mission

The mission of the Water Conservation Office is to provide the necessary resources to promote a water-efficient lifestyle through education, collaboration, and action in order to sustain water resources and elevate the value of water in Athens-Clarke County.

Vision

The Water Conservation Office aims to inspire a desire to protect water by promoting a culture within Athens-Clarke County that values water and water services. This will ensure a lifetime supply of water for both present and future generations.

Values

• Collaboration: together we can do more
• Innovation & Creativity: seek out new possibilities & solutions to promote water
• Trusted Source: build trust by being knowledgeable, transparent, & dependable
• Water Efficiency: do more with less

The Water Conservation Office

The Water Conservation Office plays a crucial role in extending the life span of water system facilities in Athens-Clarke County beyond 2050. By implementing an aggressive Water Conservation Program, the office aims to control costs and minimize rate increases as the community continues to grow and change.

The Water Conservation Office achieves this by:

• Developing a sustainable education outreach program focused on water conservation for students (k-12) in Athens-Clarke County
• Protecting source waters
• Increasing visibility in the community through family-friendly events, school visits, hosting events, and active participation in the community
• Providing water conservation strategies and devices to maintain wise water use practices
• Working to develop a culture of water conservation at the state and regional level

Water System Efficiency

The Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities Department recognizes the importance of water efficiency and takes measures to improve the efficiency of the water distribution system. This includes conducting an annual water loss audit and performing acoustic leak detection to keep operating costs down and preserve water resources.

Outreach and Education

The Water Conservation Office plans and implements various educational programs to promote water efficiency. Despite the limitations created by the pandemic, the office reached over 2,300 children and adults in 2020. They have also received the EPA’s WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award for the fifth consecutive year in 2021.

Want More?

To learn more about available Water Conservation Programs, visit https://www.accgov.com/3893/Education-Events-Tours or contact the Water Conservation Office at savewater@accgov.com or 706-613-3729.

Water Conservation Resources

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
• SDG 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
• SDG 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning.
• SDG 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award: This award recognizes efforts in promoting water efficiency and conservation, indicating progress towards SDG 6.4.
• Water loss audit and acoustic leak detection: These measures improve the efficiency of the water distribution system, contributing to SDG 6.4.
• EPA’s WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award: This award recognizes educational programs and outreach efforts, indicating progress towards SDG 13.3.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: accgov.com