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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Mayor Urges Switch to Water-Saving Showerheads
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
6/6/2007 11:30:00 AM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alex Fryer (206) 684-8358
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Mayor Urges Switch to Water-Saving Showerheads
Campaign offers free, efficient showerheads to 300,000 utility customers
SEATTLE - Mayor Greg Nickels today helped launch an innovative program that will
allow people across the region to protect the climate every time they climb into
the shower. The new program offers free, highly efficient showerheads and faucet
aerators to 300,000 local households.
Nickels was joined this morning by Bellevue Mayor and Cascade Water Alliance
chair Grant Degginger at a Seattle home to demonstrate how these next-generation
showerheads can save water without sacrificing performance.
“The Puget Sound region is among the first in the nation to make the
connection between water efficiency and its impact on carbon emissions and
climate change,” Nickels said. “Replacing showerheads is an easy
way for residents to become part of the solution to global climate change,
save money and conserve natural resources.”
“Water-efficient showerheads definitely make a difference,” Degginger
added. “Conserving our natural resources, like water and energy, will
help us face the challenges of future water supply and climate change.”
The summer-long campaign is a partnership with Seattle City Light, Puget Sound
Energy, Cascade Water Alliance and the Saving Water Partnership. Customers
should look for the free showerhead offer in the mail.
Efficient showerheads help residents save money on their water, gas, electric
and sewer utility bills. Customers can also lower their carbon footprint, and
in turn, curb the effects of climate change by reducing their water and energy
use at home.
Because a significant amount of energy is needed to heat water, saving water
also saves energy. Those energy savings translate into less carbon dioxide
emitted from local natural gas uses, while also lowering local demand for fossil-fuel-generated
electricity from national energy wholesalers.
Installing efficient water fixtures is a simple way for households to conserve
water and energy. If just one-half of all single-family households install
a high-efficiency showerhead in each shower, the region can save almost 200
million gallons of drinking water per year. That’s enough drinking water
to meet the needs of 3,000 households a year. Seattle City Light estimates
that showerheads installed in main bathrooms will save an average of 190 kWh
per year. Customers with gas water heaters will save on their gas bill as well.
“Using efficient showerheads and aerators are easy ways for families
to save energy and reduce their impact on the environment,” said Cal
Shirley, Puget Sound Energy’s vice president of energy efficiency services. “Installing
efficient showerheads and aerators can reduce these fixtures’ water,
energy and sewer usage by 20 percent.”
Customers are urged to fill out and return the postage-paid mailer to receive
the free, efficient showerheads and faucet aerators. The utilities’ free,
efficient showerhead offer ends Sept. 15, 2007. For more information on this
program, please visit www.savingwater.org
Visit the mayor’s web site at www.seattle.gov/mayor. Get the mayor’s
inside view on efforts to promote transportation, public safety, economic opportunity
and healthy communities by signing up for The Nickels Newsletter at www.seattle.gov/mayor/newsletter_signup.htm
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Office of the Mayor
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