Student Conservation Association, American Water Launch "Save Water Today" Public Service Campaign in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense Program
VOORHEES, N.J., March 2, 2011 – With 36 states expected to face serious water shortages by 2013, water conservation is an increasingly critical concern for our country. In response to this important issue, the Student Conservation Association [1] (SCA) and American Water [2], in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program [3], have launched the Save Water Today [4] public service campaign. Save Water Today is an integral component of American Water’s year-long consumer education campaign promoting water efficiency and water source protection to help mark the company’s 125th anniversary.
The PSA campaign comprises a quartet of public service announcements (PSAs) that bring together Saturday Night Live alums Rachel Dratch and Horatio Sanz, Diane Neal (formerly of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), and 16-year-old national surfing champion Lakey Peterson to promote household water conservation. All the featured actors generously donated their time and talents. In each 30-second announcement, the uninvited – but not entirely unwelcomed – celebrity appears in someone’s home to deliver practical, actionable tips to viewers.
In “Dishwasher,” Dratch catches Jenny, played by Gretchen Egolf (Martial Law, Journeyman), in her bathrobe just in time to save her from running a dishwasher that isn’t full – but not until after Dratch has scoured the home for other items to add to the washload.
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Sanz ambushes a wet Brian, played by Kurt Braunohler (Comedy Central Presents) in “Shower,” stopwatch in hand, to let him know that he’s at 40 gallons and counting.
In “Faucets,” the unsuspecting Oliver family (Andrea Rosen, Matt Higgins and Jack Gore), quietly watching television, finds Neal sharing their bowl of popcorn and lecturing them in legal fashion on the water they could save by replacing their worn washers.
Finally, in “Toilet,” Peterson drops in on an apartment full of her surfer-dude fans (Max Carpenter, Ben Hollandsworth and Jordan Augustyn) and makes her way to the lavatory to make water-saving adjustments in their tank.
At the conclusion of each spot, viewers are directed to www.SaveWaterToday.org [4] for additional water-saving tips.
Keeping with the “green” theme, the PSAs were filmed on location, courtesy of The Visionaire [5] condominium, in Manhattan’s Battery Park City neighborhood. Developed by the Albanese Organization, the LEED Platinum-certified Visionaire is the greenest residential high-rise in the U.S. and a model for future urban developments nationwide.
To view the PSAs and learn more water saving tips go to www.SaveWaterToday.org [4].
About SCA
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is the only national organization that develops tomorrow’s conservation leaders by providing high school and college students with conservation service opportunities in all 50 states, from urban communities to national parks and forests. Since 1957, SCA’s hands-on practice of conservation service has helped to develop new generations of conservation leaders, inspire lifelong stewardship, and save the planet. SCA is a non-profit headquartered in Charlestown, N.H. and maintains regional offices in Boise, Idaho, Oakland, Calif., Pittsburgh, Pa., Seattle, Wash., and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.thesca.org [1].
About American Water
Founded in 1886, American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15 million people in more than 30 states as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com [6].
In 2011, American Water is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a yearlong campaign to promote water efficiency and the importance of protecting water from source to tap. To learn more, visit www.amwater125.com [2].
About WaterSense
WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by the US EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes and services. In 2009, EPA’s WaterSense program helped consumers save more than 36 billion gallons of water and $267 million on their water and sewer bills. Visit http://www.epa.gov/watersense [7].