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EPA Promotes “Fix a Leak Week” with the Grand Opening of a WaterSense Home in Dallas, TX

Release Date: 03/18/2013
Contact Information: Jennah Durant or Austin Vela, 214 665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(DALLAS – March 18, 2013) Minor water leaks waste more than 1 trillion gallons of water each year in U.S. homes. During its annual “Fix a Leak Week,” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program reminds Americans to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks. This year’s “Fix a Leak Week” event runs from March 18 to 24.

On March 23, 2013, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center – Dallas, in partnership with the EPA Region 6, and the City of Dallas Water Utilities is hosting the grand opening of the first WaterSense labeled home in the Dallas/Ft Worth area. This renovated home will serve as a working model that demonstrates to visitors just how easy water conservation can be. The WaterSense labeled home will provide hands-on learning opportunities in areas such as hot water on-demand systems, WaterSense labeled fixtures, water-efficient landscaping and irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting and rain garden design. The home also includes upgrades utilizing renewable and energy efficient products for the flooring, counter tops, lighting and appliances. Compared to a typical home, a WaterSense labeled home can save a family of four 50,000 gallons of water a year or more.

“This represents a great opportunity for the public to experience a WaterSense labeled home and learn about water conservation,” said Regional Administrator Ron Curry. “Visitors will learn ways to make an environmental and economic impact while conserving this precious resource.”

“What makes this home unique is that WaterSense’s whole-house label has always focused on new home construction. This will be the first home ever to receive certification as a renovation project,” said Clint Wolfe, Program Manager for the Urban Water Program at Texas A&M AgriLife. “This is an important project because it shows homeowners and builders how they can conserve an enormous amount of water by simply changing the existing fixtures in their home and adopting some easy practices in the landscape. It will be the first home of its kind in the region and the only educational open house in the nation.”

The WaterSense Labeled Home is located on the AgriLife campus at 17360 Coit Road, Dallas, TX 75252. The newly renovated home and landscape design will be open for public tours from 1– 4 p.m.

Other WaterSense Promotional Partners, including Central Arkansas Water, City of Arlington, City of Fort Worth, City of Garland, City of Irving, City of McKinney, City of Mesquite, City of Laredo, Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 25 and Mustang Contracting Services, Inc. are also promoting Fix a Leak Week events in their communities.

For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleakweek.