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Water Wednesdays HUD Webinar Series

In 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program hosted Water Wednesdays, to help HUD project officers and HUD grantees incorporate water efficiency into their programs and projects. The webinar series provided information about tools and resources that help public, low-income, and multi-family housing managers save water, energy and money. Descriptions of each webinar with links to slides and recordings are available below. WaterSense is working with HUD to determine if it will hold additional webinars in 2016.

  • Introducing WaterSense & Quantity Quotes
    Veronica Blette from WaterSense will provide a broad overview of the WaterSense program, explaining how the program promotes water efficiency and water-efficient products. Stephanie Stern from StopWaste.orgExit EPA Disclaimerwill introduce the new and improved Quantity Quotes, a bulk-purchasing platform where housing managers can find WaterSense-labeled showerheads, lavatory faucets, toilets and other water and energy efficient products.
  • Communicating the Need for Water Efficiency
    The WaterSense program has a variety of consumer campaigns that can be used to amplify water conservation messages and help consumers adopt water-efficient behaviors. Veronica Blette will review the WaterSense program’s campaigns and associated promotional materials. Joanna Ladd of the Chinatown Community Development Center—which owns and manages twenty five properties throughout San Francisco and provides affordable housing to over 2400 low income families and seniors—will speak about their water efficiency work and the importance of education and outreach efforts.
  • WaterSense and LEED Housing Programs
    A WaterSense labeled home includes WaterSense labeled plumbing fixtures, a hot water delivery system that gets hot water to the tap faster, water-smart landscape design, and other water-efficient features. These features allow the home to use 20 percent less water than typical homes. Jonah Schein will introduce the New Homes specification, reviewing the criteria and its applicability to newly constructed single-family and multi-family homes. Asa Foss, Technical Director for LEED for Homes, will provide information on their water efficiency programs and requirements for LEED-certified residential units.
  • Water Efficiency Best Management Practices for Multi-unit Property Managers
    Learn about WaterSense BMPs for facilities and examples of how property managers have assessed their water use and made changes to improve efficiency. The webinar will also feature practices that help address outdoor water use through landscaping choices and more efficient irrigation practices. Veronica Blette from WaterSense will describe the BMPs and practices that help address outdoor water use through landscaping choices and more efficient irrigation practices. Russ Horner, from Water Management Inc., will discuss several case studies describing how housing agencies have identified and taken action to increase savings.
  • Tracking Water & Energy Savings
    In order to effectively manage water use, it is critical to monitor and track its use. Andrea Schnitzer from the ENERGY STAR® program will highlight how recent changes to Portfolio Manager, which properties can use to track their energy use, allow it to also be used to track water use. A guest speaker will share how they use Portfolio Manager and other tools to track their progress in water efficiency.
  • Greywater Reuse—Is it Right for Your Facilities?
    Some are starting to look to greywater reuse as a strategy to reduce potable water use by reusing water used onsite for another purpose, such as laundry water for landscape irrigation. While the ability of a property manager to use greywater may depend on their jurisdiction, it is smart to get educated on the topic. Charlotte Ely from Region 9 EPA introduces greywater, while Megan Pier, from Hyphae Design Laboratory, and Rene Rodriguez, from Abode Communities, provide more information and case studies on what goes into planning and implementing a greywater system.
  • Incorporating Green Infrastructure into Housing and Community Development Projects
    Designing landscapes to hold water on site has the dual benefit of reducing the need for supplemental irrigation and reducing runoff that can cause flooding and impair water quality. An EPA speaker will talk about tools to help property managers integrate green infrastructure into their developments. Daniel Ransom of Tucson WaterExit EPA Disclaimerwill provide an overview of the agency’s rainwater harvesting rebate program, including an initiative working with low-income residents to install and maintain passive earthworks systems. Andy Lipkis of Tree People will discuss Elmer AvenueExit EPA Disclaimer, a neighborhood in Los Angeles NE San Fernando Valley that was transformed from a flood hazard zone into a model of sustainability. Neal Shapiro of the City of Santa Monica’s Office of Sustainability & the Environment will discuss how their City is implementing an innovative rainwater harvesting system in their new public library as well as a green parking lot.