As Broward County‘s mayor, I am committed to celebrating the positive impacts of programs and people across Broward County and in doing so hope to increase public awareness and participation in the great number of public and private initiatives that serve to improve the quality of our community.
One such effort is focused on a resource that we often take for granted — water. We depend upon the Biscayne Aquifer and the health of the greater Everglades to support our water demands, but the amount of water available is limited.
By improving our efficiency of water use, we can reduce our need to invest in higher-cost alternative water supplies, and also mitigate for the impacts of droughts.
With this recognition, the Conservation Pays Program was launched, to provide residents and business with rebates and other incentives to partner in conservation. The result — already a 20 percent reduction in water use across the county.
Through the Broward Water Partnership, Broward County and 17 municipal and water utility partners are offering $100 rebates for residents, businesses and nonprofits that swap their older toilets for highly efficient WaterSense models. You pick the color, the model, the installer and we’ll write you a check for up to $100.
Since 2012, we’ve issued 7,921 rebates. We’ve distributed aerators and shower heads and encouraged people to use better irrigation methods. Together, residents, businesses and nonprofits in our partner communities have saved nearly 750 million gallons of water (equivalent to more than 1,100 Olympic-sized swimming pools).
But that’s not all. We are currently providing yet another incentive for conservation with the launching of the Neighborhood Water Challenge where participants can win $1,000 in cash or a new WaterOptimizer irrigation system. There are two ways to win. You can get together with your neighbors and save water for two months. If you save the most, each family on your team wins $1,000. Or, you can do something to promote conservation, then tell us what you did and how it went. Participants need to register in advance, but can enter one or both categories.
When it’s raining it’s hard to think about conservation, but the fact is our water resources have limits, and new sources will cost much more.
Besides, when we save water, we save money.
It is my pleasure to be able to share the results of this agency partnership, the demonstrated enthusiasm of our residents and businesses for protecting our water resources and the environment, and the overall influence of the Conservation Pays Program. If you haven’t already, I hope you will join us in this campaign.
Visit ConservationPays.com for all the details on conservation, rebates and the Neighborhood Water Challenge. When you save water, you win. With the Neighborhood Water Challenge, you could be the big winner.
Marty Kiar is Broward County mayor.
