Underwriters Laboratories Celebrates World Water Day With the 'Save Your Water' Consumption Calculator and Conservation Pledge

NORTHBROOK, Ill., March 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a global leader in drinking water quality and safety, is asking consumers to pledge to reduce their household water usage starting today – World Water Day. UL introduced the 'Save Your Water' consumption calculator at www.ul.com/saveyourwater, where consumers can pledge to conserve water by making simple lifestyle changes. The interactive tool helps visitors evaluate their daily, weekly and annual household water consumption.

For each of the first 15,000 pledges received, UL will donate one dollar to Water for People, an international organization committed to the development of locally sustainable drinking water resources, sanitation facilities and health and hygiene education programs.

"With less than one percent of the world's freshwater supply accessible to humans, preserving this precious resource is a timely and critical issue," said Jeff Smith, general manager, UL Global Water and Food Safety business units. "UL encourages people across the globe to join us in our World Water Day pledge to make a positive impact on the world's water supply."

Each year, World Water Day is held on March 22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. World Water Day 2010 is dedicated to raising awareness of the increasing water quality challenges in water management.

UL's 'Save Your Water' consumption calculator brings these global issues close to home and shows people every drop saved counts. Participants are taken on a tour in and around a two-story home. In each room, or outdoor location, they'll be asked a series of questions to determine their own water usage habits. For those looking to use less water during the next year, UL offers the following tips:

In the Bathroom

• Take shorter showers. An efficient shower lasts three or four minutes and uses only 7.5 gallons (approximately 28 liters) of water.
• Don't keep the faucet running unnecessarily while brushing your teeth or shaving. Turning off the faucet can save nearly eight gallons of water each day.
• Look for the UL Plumbing Mark to confirm the plumbing fixtures you purchase meet required safety, health and performance standards.

In the Kitchen

• Wash dishes in the dishwasher instead of washing dishes by hand. A typical dishwasher uses approximately eight gallons (30 liters) of water each time a load is run, yet washing the same amount of dishes by hand can use up to 15 gallons (nearly 57 liters).
• Read your dishwasher's manual to determine if you can load it without pre-rinsing your dishes. Many newer models require little or no advance rinsing.

In the Laundry Room

• Only run your clothes washer with full loads of laundry – even if it has an adjustable load setting.
• Pre-treat stains to avoid having to rewash clothing.

Outside the Home

• Limit the number of times you water your lawn. Over-watering "trains" your lawn to need more water.
• Reduce the temperature of your pool water. The warmer a pool's water, the faster it can evaporate.

"World Water Day reminds us that water quality is an ongoing issue, and we all must do our part to protect it," said Smith. "With over twenty years of experience in the drinking water industry, UL is committed to analytical and certification services that validate the quality of water for consumers worldwide. We continue to expand our drinking water analytical services and product certification programs to instill confidence in drinking water and the systems that deliver it."

To date, UL has analyzed more than 2 million water samples for thousands of public and private entities, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). UL is a global leader in water product certification and is an approved certifier of water products that meet the criteria of the EPA's WaterSense(SM) program, which identifies and promotes the use of water-efficient products. For more information on UL's water program, visit www.ul.com/water.

Follow the UL 'Save Your Water' consumption calculator on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ULSaveYourWater.

About Underwriters Laboratories

UL is an independent product safety certification organization that has been testing products and writing Standards for Safety for more than a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of products, components, materials and systems from more than 66,000 manufacturers each year. In total, there are more than 20 billion UL Marks appearing on products worldwide. UL's global family of companies and network of service providers includes 68 laboratory, testing and certification facilities serving customers in 102 countries. For more information, visit: http://www.ul.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Underwriters Laboratories