The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the WaterSense H2Otel Challenge as a way for agency partners and other organizations to encourage hotels to use best management practices that will save water and money, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
“Hotels that reduce their water use will not only help their community save precious resources, but can gain a competitive edge in today’s green marketplace,” said Nancy Stoner, acting assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Water. “Since 2006, WaterSense has helped Americans save more than 487 billion gal of water, and now we’re building on that success to help hotels take their sustainability efforts to the next level.”
From New York City’s Times Square to the Las Vegas strip, hotels across the country will take a pledge to “ACT”—assess, change and track their water use in the following ways:
- Assess water use and savings opportunities throughout the hotel.
- Change products and processes to more water-efficient models and methods.
- Track water reduction progress before and after incorporating best management practices.
Caesars Entertainment is the first company to sign up for the H2Otel Challenge.
By tackling projects throughout their properties, hotels can find ways to improve their water efficiency and performance while providing the highest quality experience for guests. To help hotels make operational changes and meet growing customer demand for green lodging, EPA will initiate a series of educational webinars on Feb. 13, 2014 and provide free tools based on the online guide, WaterSense at Work: Best Management Practices for Commercial and Institutional Facilities. WaterSense will also offer outreach materials for hotels to publicize their efforts and celebrate their successes with guests and employees.
Source: EPA
