MEDIA RELEASE PR38853
Underwriters Laboratories Celebrates World Water Day With the 'Save Your Water' Consumption
Calculator and Conservation Pledge
NORTHBROOK, Ill., Mar. 23 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
UL to Donate One Dollar to Water for People for each of the First 15,000
Pledges Received
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
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
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
SOURCE: Underwriters Laboratories
CONTACT: Robyn Flaherty,
Consumer Marketing Program Manager of Underwriters Laboratories,
+1-847-664-1076,
Robyn.R.Flaherty@us.ul.com,
or Chris Suttile of GolinHarris,
+1-312-729-4354,
csuttile@golinharris.com,
for Underwriters Laboratories
NEWS 
