By Rich Anderson
February 12, 2007

Albuquerque (NM) Mayor Martin J. Chávez commented at The U.S. Conference of Mayors 75th Winter Meeting in Washington (DC), “People in western states, like New Mexico, have faced drought and water shortages for years. But climate change impacts have altered these patterns over the last decade or so. Now more and more cities are facing water shortages.” Fayetteville (AR) Mayor Dan Coody stated, “Water conservation must become an integral part of water supply planning and watershed management throughout the nation.” The mayors are co-chairmen of the Mayors Water Council. They presented awards to San Antonio and the San Antonio Water System, and Seattle for achieving high levels of water conservation in their municipalities.

Research by the Mayors Water Council indicates that over one-third of the nation’s cities do not have clearly identified water supplies for the next 20 years. That is why the Conference of Mayors is promoting municipal water conservation achievement.

Donald L. Correll, President & CEO of American Water — the largest water services provider in North America and sole sponsor of the 2006 Awards Program — presented each of the winning city mayors a check made out to the city for $7,500 in recognition of their efforts, and to support their future goals. Correll praised the Award-winning cities for their efforts, and congratulated Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels for his Administration’s commitment to water conservation. He stated that, “Wise water use is in everybody’s best interest. It helps us all preserve a precious resource and balance our responsibilities to people and the environment.”

Seattle won the award for “Innovative Water Conservation.” One component of their long-term water conservation program is to retrofit low-income housing with conservation technology. This has turned a large commercial consumer of water into one of the most successful conservation sectors. An estimated water use reduction level of 13.4 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) has been achieved through this program

San Antonio and its San Antonio Water System (SAWS) won the award for “Overall Water Conservation.” Water use declined from 225 (gpcd) in 1980 to 132 gpcd in 2006. This was made possible through a combination of infrastructure improvements, community-wide conservation efforts and an expansive recycled water distribution system.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors - Mayors Water Council established the Municipal Water Conservation Achievement Awards Program in 2005 to both recognize and reward cities that establish and implement effective water conservation programs. Independent judges selecting the winning cities included: Susan Hutson, a Hydrologist with the United States Geological Survey and an expert in national water resources; and G. Tracy Mehan, III, a Principal at the Cadmus Group located in Arlington (VA), former US EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water, and before that served as Director of the Michigan Governor’s Great lakes Initiatives.