TUCSON (Feb. 28, 2008) – The Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona (Water CASA) has awarded Karen and Melvin Dale Barber of Sahuarita a $500 Gift Certificate for completing Water CASA’s survey of homeowners living in the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District, or CAGRD.

The gift certificate, purchased by Water CASA from Target stores, was awarded on February 26th to Karen Barber after her completed written survey was randomly selected from over 200 surveys that were answered and returned. Surveys were given to homeowners living in the CAGRD in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties.

Click here to read the full press release.

FROM THE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER OF THE WESTERN STATES WATER COUNCIL:

On October 30, the House Science Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, Chaired by Rep. Nick Lampson (D-TX), held a hearing on Research to Improve Water-Use Efficiency and Conservation: Technologies and Practices and H.R. 3957, the Water-Use Efficiency and Conservation Research Act of 2007.

Val Little, Director of the Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona (Water CASA), at the University of Arizona, testified, “The nation’s policy makers need a better understanding of which areas in the country or which demographic profiles have the highest potential for increased water use efficiency…. The human behavior factor can easily trump any technical strategy with the inadequate monitoring, management and maintenance of technological tools…. In general, water conservation technologies are far ahead of our ability to educate and train the users and the consumers…. Water CASA strongly supports research efforts in the water conservation arena that are focused on actual, quantifiable water savings rather than projected or modeled assumptions.” Ms. Little noted, “The EPA WaterSense Program is a very effective effort,” and Water CASA is a founding promotion partner. However, she also noted that national research need not be limited to EPA, and specifically mentioned the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Field Services Program.

Click here to see the webcast of the hearing