October 15, 2023
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently honored The Toro Co., Bloomington, Minn., with a 2023 WaterSense® Excellence Award for efforts in promoting the WaterSense program and water efficiency through its products, education and outreach. The Toro Co. was one of 25 Excellence Award winners, and this marked the ninth consecutive year that TTC received a WaterSense Excellence Award.
WaterSense, a voluntary partnership program sponsored by EPA, is both a label for water-efficient products, programs and homes, and a resource for helping consumers learn ways to save water. More than 2,100 manufacturers, builders, retailers, utilities, government and nonprofit organizations partner with WaterSense to promote water-efficient products, homes and programs.
“With extreme weather affecting water supplies and quality, saving this precious resource is more important than ever,” said Veronica Blette, chief, WaterSense Branch. “The 2023 award winners helped Americans look to WaterSense and save not just water, but the energy required to heat and treat it, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy use.”
Since 2006, over 40,000 certified water-efficient plumbing and irrigation products have helped consumers and businesses save 7.5 trillion gallons of water; the amount of energy needed to pump, treat and heat water by 880 billion kWh; and $171 billion in water and energy bills. These savings also helped prevent 337 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is equivalent to planting 5.6 billion trees.
WaterSense recognized The Toro Co. for supporting dozens of training and community education events in 2022 and promoting WaterSense to thousands of industry professionals. In addition, The Toro Co. continued water efficiency research efforts with Texas A&M University and University of Minnesota’s Turfgrass Research, Outreach and Education Center.
“The advancement of water-saving technologies and education is an integral part of our purpose, and we are honored to have our efforts recognized,” said Edric Funk, group vice president, golf, grounds and irrigation at The Toro Co. “We congratulate every water agency, municipality and business that has been recognized for their efforts and look forward to continued collaboration with EPA WaterSense.”
For more information about WaterSense, visit epa.gov/watersense.
