CONTACT: Lee Ledesma, City of Aspen Utilities, Finance and
Administrative Manager, 970-309-8882
lee.ledesma@cityofaspen.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2020
Aspen’s QWEL Program Wins WaterSense® Partner of the Year Award
Washington, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized the City of Aspen’s Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) Program with a 2020 WaterSense Partner of the Year Award for promoting WaterSense and water efficiency in 2019. WaterSense recently recognized 28 utilities, manufacturers, builders, and other organizations across the country that are making it possible for consumers and businesses to save billions of gallons of water each year as part of its Partner of the Year Awards.
WaterSense, a voluntary partnership program sponsored by EPA, is both a label for water-efficient products and a resource for helping consumers learn ways to save water. WaterSense labeled products, homes, and programs helped consumers and businesses save 871 billion gallons of water in 2019, along with the energy used to heat that water and money on utility bills.
“Since the program started in 2006, our WaterSense partners have made it possible for consumers and businesses to save more than 4.4 trillion gallons of water and $87 billion on utility bills,” said Veronica Blette, WaterSense Program Manager. “Our award winners in particular have gone above and beyond to make water, energy, and money savings easy for Americans.”
WaterSense Award winners demonstrate their commitment to saving this precious resource by producing, building, and promoting labeled products and homes that are independently certified to use less water and perform well, as well as offering certification programs for water-smart irrigation professionals. WaterSense honored Aspen’s QWEL Program as a 2020 Partner of the Year Award winner for providing landscape professionals with affordable hands-on demonstrations and education on proper plant selection for the local climate, landscape water use, irrigation system design and maintenance, controller programming and operations, and sustainable landscaping. Their locally focused trainings are facilitated in partnership with WaterNow Alliance, a non-profit forum for local water leaders to champion affordable, equitable, and sustainable water strategies.
“Aspen is honored to receive the WaterSense Partner of the Year Award and looks forward to continuing our ambitious outdoor water efficiency efforts,” said Lee Ledesma, Utilities Finance and Administrative Manager at the City of Aspen. “We realize that running a utility is a multi-faceted effort and Aspen is always aware that our resource is finite. Along with our customers we work together to conserve throughout the year and particularly in times of drought. We are proud of our cooperative efforts,” said Lee Ledesma, Utilities Finance and Administrative Manager at the City of Aspen.
For more information about WaterSense and the 2020 award winners, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.
###
WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering consumers and businesses simple ways to use less water with water-efficient products, homes, and services.