CLCA Earns WaterSense Label

Release Date: March 26th, 2010

The California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) is pleased to announce it has just received the WaterSense Label from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its Water Management Certification Program. Previously a WaterSense Program Partner, CLCA’s Water Management Certification Program was requested to include an irrigation system auditing component to the certification program in order to receive the WaterSense label. As requested, CLCA’s Water Management Certification program now includes irrigation system auditing, which allows individuals to conduct irrigation audits on new landscape projects that fall under California’s newly updated Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance.

Introduced at CLCA’s 30th Annual Landscape Industry Show in February 2009, CLCA’s Water Management Certification Program helps green industry professionals meet the need to reduce landscape water usage by learning to work with advanced irrigation technology and a water budget. In many cases it also saves money, especially for those with tiered water prices. This program is unique because participants not only take a written test, they are also required to manage at least one property to a water budget for one year to achieve certification and to submit an irrigation system audit. Participants are then required to continue to maintain a property to a water budget to continue their certification.

“We are pleased that WaterSense has recognized the value of our program and that we are now allowed to formally use the WaterSense Label,” said Sharon McGuire, Executive Director of the California Landscape Contractors Association. “We believe that water availability is an important issue that impacts us all. Using water management along with responsible ecological choices including sustainable landscaping, grasscycling, fire retardant plant choices and more, not only saves water, but also helps protect our environment and shape our future. The landscape industry is part of the solution to California’s water shortage and changing climate.”

Despite recent rainfall, water conservation is still a priority for California due to low reserves, increased population and an aging water infrastructure. The shortage of water is not only a problem in California, but also worldwide.

In response to this looming problem, the United States Interior passed the WaterSmart Initiative in February 2010 to help conserve and manage this valuable natural resource. Launched in 2006, WaterSense is an EPA-sponsored partnership program that seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by promoting water efficiency and enhancing the market for water-efficient products, programs, and practices.

In order to become a WaterSense irrigation partner, professionals in the industry must first become certified through a WaterSense labeled certification program. This process helps ensure that WaterSense irrigation partners are trained on designing, installing, and maintaining water-efficient irrigation systems. CLCA’s Water Management Certification program offers tests and trainings throughout the state of California and would not be possible without the strong support of Ewing Irrigation Products, Toro Company, Hunter Industries and Horizon Irrigation.

For more information or to register for the certification program, please contact David Silva at 916-830-2780 or email at davidsilva@clca.org.

For additional test dates and times please see this web site http://www.clca.org/index.php?v=sgn2&p=7.

Barbara Landrith Outreach Specialist California Landscape Contractors Association 1491 River Park Drive #100 Sacramento, CA 95815 (916) 830-2780 barbaralandrith@clca.org http://www.clca.us/water http://twitter.com/CLCAbarbara http://www.linkedin.com/in/landrith