Niagara Conservation named 2013 EPA WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year

FORT WORTH, TEXAS — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency named Niagara Conservation the 2013 WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year. Niagara Conservation, a leading manufacturer of water-saving and energy-saving products, was honored during the WaterSmart Innovations Conference for its commitment to water efficiency and outstanding efforts to support the WaterSense program during 2012.

In 2012 alone, WaterSense labeled products and new homes helped Americans save more than 202 billion gallons of water, or more than the amount of water needed to supply all the homes in Colorado for a year. More than 2,700 utility, manufacturer, retail, builder, organizational, and professional partners helped WaterSense realize these accomplishments, but the organization recognizes specific partners each year for their significant contributions to the program.

“All of our WaterSense partners have taken steps to reduce our nation’s water use, but several stood out in 2012 for their commitment to the WaterSense program and collaborative efforts to promote WaterSense labeled products, new homes and outreach and educational programs,” said EPA’s acting Assistant Administrator for Water, Nancy Stoner. “We are pleased to honor Niagara Conservation for their efforts that support our mission to protect the future of our nation’s water supply.”

A primary reason the company was selected as 2013 WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year is the fact that more than 96% of Niagara’s core product line of toilets, showerheads, and faucet accessories were WaterSense labeled in 2012 — a nearly 10% increase compared to 2011.

Another major initiative recognized by WaterSense was Niagara’s new Green City program. Designed to maximize water and energy savings in cities nationwide, the program enables water utilities to offer their customers the opportunity to upgrade their plumbing fixtures to Niagara’s Stealth System with no upfront costs. The Stealth System is comprised of the ultra-high-efficiency 0.8-GPF Stealth toilet, a low-flow Bi-Max showerhead and three low-flow faucet aerators, which are all WaterSense labeled.

Through Niagara Green City, Niagara Conservation is also able to leverage its partnership with Green Plumbers USA, an innovative organization with an accredited plumber training program, as all the upgraded fixtures are installed by certified Green Plumber contractors. By partnering with utility companies and local municipalities, Niagara can provide residents with an easy and inexpensive way to save water and energy by replacing old, inefficient fixtures with WaterSense labeled water conservation products.

In addition to its collaborative measures, the company implemented online and social media strategies to take WaterSense’s weeklong program, Fix a Leak Week, to the next level with a “Finding Flo” scavenger hunt. During Fix a Leak Week, WaterSense’s goal is to remind Americans to check their plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems to ensure they are not wasting water. Niagara’s “Finding Flo” scavenger hunt was a unique activity that was created to raise awareness about wasting water while encouraging visitors to learn more about WaterSense initiatives. Through partner collaboration, social media and public relations efforts, as well as employee education, Niagara will continue to work to raise awareness about water conservation, as it has since the company’s inception in 1977.

“Niagara Conservation is honored to be recognized by EPA as its 2013 WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year,” said Bill Cutler, Niagara Conservation’s president and CEO. “For more than 35 years, we have been dedicated to not only providing our customers with premier water and energy efficiency products but also to raising public awareness about the importance of water conservation.”