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Water Headlines for August 4, 2008Benjamin H. Grumbles Water Headlines is a weekly on-line publication that announces publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water. In This Week’s Water Headlines:
EPA Works with Builders on WaterSense New Homes ProgramAs part of its efforts to encourage water efficiency across the country, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that five builders will participate in the Water-Efficient Single-Family New Homes Pilot Program. The builders will construct homes designed to meet the WaterSense program’s draft specification for new homes. "Building green means saving green and blue," said Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA’s assistant administrator for water. "Water-efficient homes are the wave of the future; they save water, energy, and money, and that's good news for families and communities across America."
Five innovative builders are joining EPA in the “blue wave” by committing to build and certify a total of 35 to 50 homes by 2009 in various regions of the country: In addition to demonstrating the benefits of WaterSense labeled products, other water-efficient fixtures and design features, outdoor water systems designed for efficiency, and Energy Star qualified appliances, the builders will help EPA test the process for inspecting and certifying new homes to receive the WaterSense label. EPA expects builders to complete homes to the draft specification and report on the results of the WaterSense New Homes Pilot Program in early 2009. Results will shape the final Water-Efficient Single-Family New Homes Program. WaterSense labeled new homes will be designed to be at least 20 percent more water-efficient than similar new homes being built today. Once the specification is finalized, builders across the country will be able to earn the WaterSense label for new homes certified to the specification. Homeowners who purchase a WaterSense labeled new home can save more than 10,000 gallons of water per year, as well as realize significant energy and financial savings due to the reduced amount of hot water used. Residential water use accounts for more than half of publicly-supplied water in the United States. New Web Site Helps Kids Identify the Healthiest Fish to EatThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched a new Web site at http://www.epa.gov/fishadvisories/kids/ to help children and their parents choose the healthiest fish to eat, using interactive stories and games. The site has been selected as the August site of the month by kids.gov, the official kids’ portal for the U.S. government. "Our new Web site is a fun way for kids and parents to learn about the importance of fish in a healthy diet and how to choose the healthiest fish to eat," said Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA’s assistant administrator for water.
Whether they catch their own fish or buy it at a store, children and their parents can use the Web site to learn how to select fish that are low in contaminants. The Web site includes stories focusing on different methods of obtaining fish, along with interactive games, to teach children ages 8-12 how to recognize common fish species and use fish advisories.
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund – 20 Years of ProgressEPA released the 2007 Annual Report on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Programs, Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow: 20 Years of Progress. The report marks the 20th anniversary of the largest federal funding program for wastewater infrastructure projects. Since its inception, the CWSRF has funded $63 billion in projects to meet water quality needs ranging from wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation, non-point source pollution control, to estuary and watershed management. In 2007, the programs reached a new high, providing nearly $5.3 billion in assistance to communities of all sizes as well as farmers, small businesses, non-profits and individuals. That includes $240 million for nonpoint source projects. The report includes information about new initiatives and recognizes the winners of the 2007 Performance and Innovation in the SRF Creating Environmental Success (PISCES) Awards. For a copy of the report, visit: http://www.epa.gov/owmitnet/cwfinance/cwsrf/ , call the EPA Water Resource Center at (202) 566-1729 or send an email to center.water-resource@epa.gov. The reference document number is EPA-832-R-08-001. Subscribe to Water HeadlinesPlease forward this message to your friends and colleagues who share an interest in water-related issues and would like to hear from EPA’s Office of Water. To subscribe to the Water Headlines listserve: Send an email message, leave the subject line blank, and address it to: In the body of the message write: Subscribe Water Headlines first name last name (Please leave one blank space between each word, do not include any other message, and use your actual name- i.e. Subscribe Water Headlines Robert Jones)
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