Moen named EPA WaterSense manufacturing partner 2010

NORTH OLMSTEAD, OHIO -- Moen Inc. has been selected as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 2010 WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year. The company was selected based on its significant WaterSense-labeled product offerings, efforts to promote the benefits of WaterSense to consumers and its strategic collaborations with retailers, government authorities, trade associations and non-profits. The award was accepted last night by Tom Liebhardt, senior director of marketing, wholesale, Moen, at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Expo in Las Vegas.

“Moen is honored to be recognized by the EPA for our overall excellence in the water efficiency arena, as well as our strong efforts to advance the mission of WaterSense,” said David Lingafelter, president, Moen Incorporated. “At Moen, we recognize the responsibility to conserve water for future generations – and to help consumers make responsible choices, as well. We are committed to reducing the environmental impact of our products, while delivering the high level of performance that’s synonymous with the Moen name.”

As a WaterSense partner, Moen has aligned its priorities with the goals of the U.S. EPA, working to protect the future of our nation's water supply through the introduction and ongoing support of water-efficient products, programs and practices, while keeping consumers’ needs top-of-mind.

To demonstrate the company’s commitment to water conservation, in 2009, 100 percent of all new and existing Moen residential and multifamily lavatory faucets were certified to meet WaterSense criteria.

In 2010, Moen also announced that 17 of its showerheads received the first certifications from the EPA’s new WaterSense labeling criteria specifically for showering products. The newly-certified showerheads represent every category in Moen's showering portfolio – including wall-mount, rainshower and hand shower showerheads – which are available in a number of on-trend finishes at wholesale showrooms and retail locations nationwide.

Moen also recently introduced new eco-performance retail kitchen faucets that allow users the option to easily switch between three unique water-flow settings. For everyday tasks that require constant, yet low-water flow, such as washing dishes or preparing foods, homeowners can choose new eco-performance standard stream or aerated spray modes. These settings provide a reduced flow rate of 1.75 gallons per minute (gpm), which translates up to a 32 percent water savings. However, for tasks that require a set amount of water, such as filling a pot or pitcher - they can switch to the fast-fill mode, which flows at the standard 2.2 gpm rate.

In addition to helping consumers save water, resource conservation is also an important part of Moen’s everyday corporate culture. For the last quarter-century, Moen has developed programs to protect the environment and further its long-standing commitment, resulting in industry-leading sustainable practices. For example, the company has reduced its environmental footprint by reusing 70 percent of all water used in product testing and recycling nearly 82 percent of waste from the manufacturing process. Moen has also installed water filtration systems in all of its facilities to reduce plastic bottle consumption and switched to using only recycled paper and soy-based inks for copies.

“Green and sustainability are not words we take lightly,” said Lingafelter. “At Moen, they're a call to action. We realize everything we do has a dramatic impact on future generations, and that includes how we use our resources – particularly water.”

Moen is one of four companies to be named EPA WaterSense Partner of the Year for 2010. Awards were also given to the EPA’s top Promotional, Retailer/ Distributor and Irrigation Partners.

“These partners contributed significantly to our efforts to make WaterSense labeled products a household fixture in 2009,” said Peter S. Silva, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Water. “They also helped consumers who purchased these products save 36 billion gallons of water and more than $267 million in water and sewer bills in 2009.”

For more information about Moen’s WaterSense partnership and products certified to meet WaterSense criteria, call 800/BUY-MOEN (800/289-6636) or visit moen.com.