EnviroNews

For Immediate Release:

April 11, 2008
Media Contact:
Denise Hickey, North Texas Municipal Water District, 972 442 5405
dhickey@ntmwd.com
www.WaterIQ.org

Beyond the Drought and Frequent Rains: North Texas Municipal Water District Hopeful Conservation Still Prevalent in Minds of Consumers

Drought may be over, but 93 percent of North Texans believe water conservation still needed

(WYLIE, Texas)—While some businesses and consumers may be tempted to revert to wasteful water habits because of recent rain and rising lake levels, the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) hopes people will continue to conserve.

“In 2007, we experienced record spring rains and today, a year later, our reservoirs are full but who knows what’s in store for us this summer?” said Jim Parks, NTMWD executive director. “When you recall how serious the drought of 2006 was, we know we have to be ready for any change of weather.”

A quantitative telephone survey of 616 people conducted in September 2007 by EnviroMedia Social Marketing and Baselice & Associates on behalf of NTMWD revealed North Texans take water conservation seriously. Ninety percent of the people surveyed said they were currently saving water, and 93 percent felt conservation efforts should continue even though the region’s drought was officially over and mandatory watering restrictions had been lifted.

“The research tells us people have embraced water conservation as a lifestyle choice, which is a critical part of our strategy to ensure we have plenty of water for the future,” said Parks. NTMWD serves approximately 1.6 million people north and east of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Other key research findings include:

  • The biggest motivator to conserve is to ensure there’s enough water for the future (66 percent) followed by making smart use of water resources (48 percent) and saving money (42 percent)
  • 37 percent save water every chance they get, yet 68 percent feel they could do even more
  • 79 percent believe they can follow their city’s watering schedule and guidelines and still maintain an attractive, healthy yard
  • In addition to saving water, 96 percent of those surveyed save energy in the home and 81 percent recycle

Building on the Success of Water IQ: Know Your Water
NTMWD is beginning the third year of its successful Water IQ: Know Your Water (Water IQ) campaign, the official water awareness public education program for the State of Texas. NTMWD was the first water utility in the state to adopt and implement the campaign, which provides easy, sensible tips to help consumers and businesses use water efficiently.

“During the 2006-2007 drought, NTMWD implemented mandatory watering restrictions and adopted the Water IQ campaign to help the region immediately cut back on water consumption,” said Parks. “It worked. NTMWD customers helped reduce peak day consumption by an estimated 200 million gallons a day. Their willingness to conserve helped us get through the drought without having to take even more drastic measures.”

Every Day is a Chance to Save
The theme of the NTMWD 2008 Water IQ campaign is “Every Day is a Chance to Save.” The campaign, which includes TV, radio, outdoor, print and online advertising, focuses on the choices people make around their home that can result in water savings.

“We want to show how the little things add up,” said Denise Hickey, NTMWD public relations coordinator. “The TV spots feature several scenarios around the home that offer chances to save water. We hope people see the spot and say to themselves, ‘That’s easy — I can do that.’”

For example, in one scene, a dad and daughter brush their teeth while the narrator encourages viewers to turn off the water while brushing and save six gallons a day. Another scene shows a man sweeping his driveway instead of rinsing it with a hose, saving 150 gallons a month.

Indoor and outdoor water-saving tips are prominently featured throughout the campaign such as:

  • Use water-efficient washing machines and dishwashers and save 45 gallons a week.
  • Water early or late and save 1,200 gallons a year.
  • Run the dishwasher only when you have a full load and save 4 gallons a day.
  • Cut your 15-minute shower in half and save 18 gallons each time.

Water IQ Outreach Tour
The Water IQ outreach tour will visit area events, shopping malls, home improvement centers and other businesses beginning April 12. The outreach tour will feature a 9-foot sprinkler head positioned on a bed of giant grass.

“The giant sprinkler serves as an iconic reminder that most water waste occurs outdoors,” said Hickey. “Simple steps — such as operating your irrigation system on manual, turning sprinkler systems off in the winter, watering early or late but not during the day, and repairing broken or misdirected irrigation heads — can save consumers thousands of gallons of water a year.”

A nearby computer kiosk allows people to watch this year’s TV spots, test their Water IQ with a quiz, and take an interactive Water IQ Home Tour. Sleek reusable Water IQ shopping bags, made with recycled plastic, will be distributed to high scorers on the quiz, and “Every Day is a Chance to Save” toothbrushes and lawn watering gauges will be distributed to consumers who visit the display.

Upcoming Water IQ Tour Stops
The Water IQ Tour’s first stop is April 12 at the Live Green Expo at the Plano Centre, 2000 East Spring Creek Parkway, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On April 16, the tour will be at the Collin County Earth Day (Preston Ridge Campus), located at 9700 Wade Blvd. in Frisco. On April 26, the tour will visit the Green Living Family Festival at the Heard Museum from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information about Water IQ, visit www.WaterIQ.org.

About the North Texas Municipal Water District
NTMWD directly serves the following cities and/or water supply agencies: Allen, Farmersville, Forney, Frisco, Garland, Mesquite, McKinney, Plano, Princeton, Richardson, Royse City, Rockwall, Wylie, Bonham, Caddo Basin S.U.D., Cash W.S.C., College Mound W.S.C., Copeville S.U.D., East Fork S.U.D., Fairview, Fate, Forney Lake W.S.C., Gastonia-Scurry S.U.D., Greater Texoma Utility Authority, Josephine, Kaufman, Kaufman Four—One, Lavon W.S.C., Little Elm, Lucas, Melissa, Milligan W.S.C., Mt. Zion W.S.C., Murphy, Nevada W.S.C., North Collin W.S.C., Parker, Prosper, Rose Hill S.U.D., Rowlett, Sachse, Seis Lagos M.U.D., Sunnyvale, Terrell and Wylie Northeast S.U.D.

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