Join Mayor Gonzales in the 2014 Water Conservation Challenge

Mayor Javier Gonzales asks residents to make a pledge to save water in the 4th Annual National Mayor’s Water Conservation Challenge!

Santa Feans, among thwater hande best water conservers in the state and the Southwest, can show the rest of the nation just how good they are by joining the national Mayor’s Water Conservation Challenge.

To celebrate World Water Day and to increase awareness about water conservation, Mayor Javier Gonzales and the City Council are urging Santa Feans to participate in a national challenge to see whose city can do the best to conserve water. 

The National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation is a friendly community service competition among cities across the nation to see who can be the most water-wise through a series of informative, easy-to-use online pledges.  Residents can enter by making water conservation pledges at www.mywaterpledge.com

All individual pledges will count toward the city’s total.  Cities are divided into four regions (West, Midwest, South and Northeast) and categorized by population.  Residents in winning cities are eligible to win more than $50,000 in prizes, including the grand prize of a Toyota Prius Hybrid.

“Santa Fe’s dedication to conserve water has been extraordinary.  I would like to personally thank the residents of Santa Fe for our continued success with water conservation.  We know just how precious our water is,” Mayor Gonzales said. “Our water-use use statistics are among the lowest in New Mexico and the Southwest United States.  This challenge gives us an opportunity to keep our conservation efforts up and keep our water use down.”

Santa Fe’s long-standing water conservation and drought management programs are the best in the Southwest with respect to both comprehensiveness and effectiveness.  City water customers reduced their water use by 38 percent from 1995 to 2013, from 168 gallons to 106 gallons per capita per day. Santa Fe customer daily residential water use is 58 gallons per person, ranking Santa Fe among the nation’s most frugal cities on water use.

Santa Fe has achieved its low use numbers through public outreach and ordinances that require Santa Fe’s citizens and businesses to comply with water conservation requirements and reward water conservations.

For more information about water conservation in Santa Fe, including the Drought Water Management plan, residential and commercial rebate programs, and outdoor/indoor water use requirements, please visit www.savewatersantafe.com  

The National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation is sponsored by the Wyland Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes awareness for environmental causes through educational programs and public arts projects.

Keep it Up.  Keep it Down.  Take the Pledge at www.mywaterpledge.com