Renew your commitment to sustainability for your city and earn bragging rights about winning the Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation, a non-profit competition, and see which leaders can best inspire their residents to make an easy-to-use online pledge to reduce water and energy usage during Earth Month. 

The EPA Office of Water, Toyota, and the Wyland Foundation invite you and other mayors across the country to join a unique coalition of non-profit organizations, private companies, broadcase partners and federal agencies for the 2nd Annual National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation.

It's a free, easy online pledge to save water, energy, money - and win any of over a thousand prizes including a Toyota Prius, water-saving home products, and more!

The 2nd Annual Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, April 1-30, 2013, is a friendly, community-based competition between cities across the nation to see who can be the most “water wise.” With support from Toyota, US EPA, US Forest Service, and NOAA, mayors nationwide will challenge their residents to conserve water, energy, and other natural resources on behalf of their city through a series of informative, easy-to-use online pledges.

Look for our ads in USA Today in April 2013. We'll be encouraging residents in your city to step up to the challenge! But why wait until then? The sooner you start, the better your city's chances of winning. Simply sign the letter of support now and we’ll send you additional information, promotional materials, and ideas for making the challenge a success in your city.

Residents go online to www.mywaterpledge.com from April 1-30, 2013, enter their city name, and then make online pledges to conserve water, save energy, and reduce pollution on behalf of their city. Cities will compete in the following revised population categories for 2013: (5,000-30,000 residents, 30,000 -100,000 residents, 100,000-300,000, 300,000-600,000, and 600,000+ residents). The city with the highest percentage of residents who take the challenge in their population category wins.

Last year, the challenge awarded more than $50,000 in prizes to 1,200 residents in U.S. cities. But, most importantly, participants see real results based on simple actions they can do to save water and energy. Program can be implemented at no cost to the city, and with little or no additional demands on city resources or staff. Residents also learn about resources in their area to take their commitment of conservation even further, from regional water and energy resource issues to cost-saving tips at home.

Once you sign the letter of support and officially enlist your city in the challenge, we will send you a promotional toolkit that includes tips for a successful campaign, sample press release, sample City Resolution, sample social media posts, sample videos from past participating mayors, sample blogs, web banner templates, poster or print ad templates, and a tips sheet of benefits and facts. You and your staff can do as much or as little as your time allows. Either way, by simply being involved and committing to the Challenge, you’re leading your city’s residents to take the necessary steps to become better-informed and more active stewards of the community and our natural resources.

In the state of California alone, nearly 20% of all energy consumption goes toward moving, cleaning and heating water. As it has become increasingly clear, the value of water conservation has enormous benefits to local economies, the environment, and even our global climate. In heavily populated drought plagued states the benefits of conservation are incalculable; in water abundant states the energy savings and the environmental benefits are enormous. The bottom line is: water conservation not only benefits every state in the nation — it benefits the entire planet. The Mayors Challenge for Water Conservation makes it easy for you and your city to have a lasting impact:

• With no costs to cities or tax-payers, the Mayors Challenge offers a compelling, affordable way to motivate residents to conserve water and energy resources.

• Creates a legacy for you and your city by reaffirming your commitment to protecting natural resources and reducing your city’s “water footprint.”

• Recognizes and rewards your residents who are committed to making a difference in your community. Residents can save money, help your city meet conservation goals, discover water-related issues affecting your region — and earn a chance to win water-saving prizes – including a Toyota Prius.

• Combines regional education about water and energy conservation and offers ways for people can save money, earn incentives to green their homes, and reduce our nation's environmental footprint.

• Ties in with state and national water, energy, and GHG management plans, such as California's AB32 or Texas' SB 184.

• The 2012 Challenge resulted in 20 million+ media impressions and resident participation from more than 1,000 cities, including representation from every state in the United States.

A heartfelt thanks to the many thousands of people across the country who participated in the Wyland Foundation's 2012 National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation.
Residents from 1,000 cities in all 50 states made online pledges at www.mywaterpledge.com to save a total of 4.7 billion gallons of water over the next year, with a potential cost savings of $11.6 million. Residents further pledged to reduce their use of single-use plastic water bottles by 1.1 million bottles and eliminate 60,000 pounds of hazardous waste from entering watersheds.

Total 2012 Pledge Results • Water Saved: 4.7 billion gallons • Dollars Saved: $11.6 million • Less in Landfill: 17.6 million lbs • Single Use Water Bottles: 1.1million • Hazardous Waste Reduction: 60,988 lbs • CO2 Saved: 153 million lbs