MURFREESBORO, Tenn. â Mayor Shane McFarland and the City of Murfreesboro encourage you and your family to make a pledge that lasts all year long! Make a pledge for water conservation from now until March 31, 2016 to conserve water during the month of April, and youâll be entered to win a piece of art picked out by marine life artist and conservationist Robert Wyland. Citizens can make the pledge via Facebook or e-mail atwww.mywaterpledge.com. Watch video on the local campaign athttps://youtu.be/lAVj6m537lc.
More information on the Wyland Foundation is available atwww.wylandfoundation.org/mayors.
Water conservation is one of the single most important ways to preserve our way of life. Your efforts to help Murfreesboro and our nation conserve water can truly make a difference for this generation and every generation to follow.
In 2015, The City of Murfreesboro unveiled a new animated character named âBlueâ to help promote water conservation through âFix a Leak Week.â Blueâs friendly message can be viewed on YouTube at this link https://youtu.be/9-UljimoYxo.
 Here are some more facts about household leaks:
·        Ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day.
·        Leaks in the average household can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year.
·        Some common types of water leaks found in the home include worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets and leaking valves.
The Wyland Foundationâs Annual National Mayorâs Challenge for Water Conservation, held during Earth Month, April 1-30, is a competition that encourages cities across the nation to see who can be the most water wise by asking residents to take a series of informative, easy to use pledges online to conserve water, energy, and natural resources.
Other ways water customers can conserve water usage daily include:
- Turning the water off when you brush your teeth.
- Making sure your washing machine and dish washer are full before operating.
- Limiting your shower to no more than five (5) minutes.
- Monitoring your bill for high consumption.
Whether its drought conditions in the West or the high costs of energy related to water use in the East, saving water has become one of the most talked about issues in the nation. The National Mayorâs Challenge for Water Conservation was created to reward residents for positive conservation behavior, provide immediate feedback with real time city by city results that can be measured against their neighboring cities, set goals to promote positive changes in consumer behavior and put a spotlight on public role models to encourage behavior change.
The non-profit campaign is presented nationally by Toyota and the Wyland Foundation, in association with NLC, EPA Office of Water, U.S. Forest Service, the Toro Company, Bytelaunch, Inc., Wondergrove Kids, and mayors and water agencies across the country.
With 2016 being its fifth year, the challenge has become widely recognized as one of the most engaging, zero-cost outreach tools especially designed for cities and water utilities to encourage conservation in the United States.  As a leader, City and citizen participation helps conservation-minded participants win over $50,000 in eco-friendly prizes including a Toyota Prius, water-saving home products, home improvement gift cards and more. Check for details.
The overall campaign is designed to:
- Save costs for consumers
- Save infrastructure and operating costs for cities
- Promote drought resiliency
- Protect watersheds and ecosystems
For information about the Wyland Foundation visit www.wylandfoundation.org/mayors. For more information on correcting common household leaks, visit the Murfreesboro Water and Sewer Department webpage at www.murfreesboro.gov/mwsd.
For City News online, visit www.Murfreesborotn.gov.
