Events & News
EVENTS & PROGRAM UPDATES
Drought Update: Drought warning restrictions are NOT IN EFFECT for the City of Charlottesville
Currently due to COVID-19 all events the Water Conservation Program was planning on attending are canceled or postponed.
Fix a Leak Family 5K and Rivanna RiverFest Event scheduled for May 3rd have been canceled
Need some ideas on how to save water this year? Get Inspired by our: My 2020 Vision to Saving Water Checklist!
If you are interested in having the Charlottesville Water Conservation Program at your local event or meeting, or if you are looking for water saving resources for a community group please contact us using our Contact Us Form.
NEWS
City of Charlottesville Receives the 2019 EPA WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award
The City of Charlottesville received one of 25 WaterSense awards at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference for helping Americans to save water, energy, and money. The City of Charlottesville’s Water Conservation program was honored as a 2019 WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award winner, the highest level of program recognition, for several key programs and community engagement including:
- The programs toilet rebate program issued 263 rebates in 2018 including a large apartment complex which replaced 45 water wasting toilets with WaterSense labeled toilets. It is estimated that this retrofit and all the WaterSense toilet rebates issues in 2018 will save more than 60 million gallons of water per year for Charlottesville!
- Promoting outdoor water savings by using advertising on weather.com during specific weather conditions to avoid landscapes from being overwatered.
- Consistent and increased participation in numerous community events throughout the year as well as promotion of conservation messages and tips to save water through TV commercials, print ads, radio ads, online ads, and social media.
- Distribution of water saving fixtures to City residents including 483 WaterSense labeled showerheads and over 1,000 WaterSense labeled faucet aerators.
Thank you to City of Charlottesville residents that support and help make the Charlottesville Water Conservation Program such a success! We are excited to find new and innovative ways to save water in Charlottesville.
Jill Greiner, Charlottesville Water Efficiency Program Coordinator, receiving the 2019 EPA WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award.
Energy and Water Management in Charlottesville City Schools
Charlottesville City Schools and the City’s Energy and Water Management Team are working together to reduce the energy and water footprint of all City schools. On April 11th, 2019 the School Board approved an Energy and Water Performance resolution, showing a commitment to achieving and maintaining high performing school facilities.
Continuing on past efforts, the City’s maintenance and development teams are specifying high efficiency building equipment, such as high-efficiency chillers and LED lighting, and are enhancing operational control through advanced building automation systems. Charlottesville Schools and the City’s Energy and Water Management Team continue to investigate ways to accelerate the installation of high performance equipment throughout our schools.
The City is also working with each school to raise awareness about energy and water saving practices through education and outreach efforts that include distributing educational materials and providing tips and strategies that students and faculty can use to reduce the energy and water impact at our schools.
Each quarter a different theme emphasizes aspects of energy and water efficiency/conservation. The 2019-2020 themes are:
- Fall (September – November): The Value of Energy and Water
- Winter (December – February): Understanding Our Energy and Water Use
- Spring (March – May): Reduce your Energy and Water Waste
- Summer (June – August): Keep Going! Summertime Savings
Read more about the City’s Energy and Water Management Program on their web page.