Splashes Bath & Kitchen Centres and BC Water & Waste Association partner to launch 2013 Community Water Challenge to encourage water wise habits

Goal is to encourage people to value our water in BC and change water habits

BURNABY, BC, March 22, 2013 /CNW/ - "British Columbians are making great strides towards becoming more aware of their water and the need to value and protect it, but we still have a long way to go," says Daisy Foster, CEO of BC Water & Waste Association (BCWWA). "British Columbians use more water per day on average than the rest of Canada. People may think we have an abundance of water here in BC, but that's not true for all areas of our province.  Climate change, population growth, industrial and agricultural use, and aging infrastructure all put pressure on our water supply and our ability to get clean safe water to our taps and return used water safely to our environment."

BCWWA has partnered with Splashes Bath & Kitchen Centres (a division of Andrew Sheret Limited) to create awareness about our water and encourage people to change their water use habits, through an innovative contest - the 2013 Community Water Challenge.

People can pledge online to take simple steps in their daily lives that will help preserve the quality and quantity of our water, as well as protect the environment. As an incentive, Splashes is offering a ten per cent discount on water efficient fixtures to anyone who takes one or all of the online pledges at www.drinkingwaterweek.org from March 23 through to May 26, 2013. Entrants will also have a chance to win a variety of other water-themed prizes.

"Our Splashes Bath & Kitchen Centre Showrooms are excited to offer this additional incentive towards the purchase of water efficient fixtures in support of BCWWA and the preservation of our water sources in BC", says Lauren Moline, Marketing manager. "Our selection of low flow toilets, efficient showerheads, faucets, irrigation systems and more are available for purchase in any of our 20 showrooms throughout BC."

"BC Water & Waste Association is thrilled to partner with Splashes Kitchen & Bath Centres on the Community Water Challenge and Drinking Water Week," says Foster. "It is only through this kind of community outreach that we can engage people to value their water and change their habits."

"It's amazing the impact you can have with simple actions," Foster adds. "Just reducing the time you spend in the shower to five minutes or less can make a big difference. If you replace your showerhead with a new one that uses an average of 5 litres per minute you can save even more water as older showerheads use around 14 litres of water per minute! And replacing your old 18 litre toilet to a low flow, 6 litre model can reduce your indoor water use up to 30 per cent."

Foster adds, "As well as water conservation, we also need to think about what happens to our water when we're finished with it. It does not just magically disappear! Wastewater needs to be cleaned before it goes into the environment and there are costs associated with that. So we need to make sure we don't put substances like grease, oil, paint and medications down our toilets and drains."

The Community Water Challenge officially launches March 23 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at the Splashes Bath & Kitchen Centre in Langford, BC. People are encouraged to take the Challenge up until May 31 at www.drinkingwaterweek.org (one week after Drinking Water Week, May 20 - 26).

BC Water & Waste Association (BCWWA) is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to safeguard public health and the environment on matters related to water and wastewater. BCWWA's 4,700 members are the people who ensure the quality and quantity of your water, from the source to your tap, and back to the source. Drinking Water Week and the Community Water Challenge is a public awareness program of the BCWWA.

Splashes Bath and Kitchen Centres provide customers with excellent selection, reasonable prices and knowledgeable service for their bath and kitchen fixture decisions. With 20 locations across BC, showrooms are accessible to more than 85% of British Columbians.  Splashes Bath and Kitchen Centres are a division of Andrew Sheret Limited, specializing in supplying wholesale products for Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning, HVAC, Irrigation, Pumps, Water Filtration, Solar and Water Works since 1892.  For more information, please see www.sheret.com or www.splashesonline.com.

SOURCE: BC Water and Waste Association

Media Contact:

BC Water &Waste Association: Penny Noble [email protected], Cell: 604 805 5637

Splashes Bath and Kitchen Centre: Lauren Moline [email protected], Phone: [phone]