The Southwest Florida Water Management District is going for the “gold” when it launches its Florida Water Star Gold (FWSG) certification program March 25. The premier event will be at 10 a.m. at Glencairn Cottages, a new development in downtown Dunedin.
FWSG is a voluntary certification program for builders. It encourages water efficiency in household appliances, plumbing fixtures, irrigation systems and landscapes, as well as water quality benefits from best management practices in landscapes.
The District’s FWSG program will certify and recognize builders who incorporate water-saving efforts into new homes. The program is a point-based certification that addresses indoor irrigation and landscape conservation components.
Both the builders and buyers will benefit from a FWSG-certified home. FWSG-certified homes are expected to have lower utility bills and require less maintenance by using low-flow plumbing fixtures, high-efficiency toilets, ENERGY STAR® appliances, efficient irrigation systems and a low-maintenance, Florida-friendly landscape. In addition, buyers of FWSG homes will receive individual instruction on the care of their landscapes and irrigation systems as well as information on the unique features of their water-saving plumbing and appliances.
“The District’s goal for FWSG has always been to educate building industry professionals about landscape best management practices that provide proven ways to conserve and protect our water resources,” said Susan Douglas, FWSG certification coordinator. “Additionally, water-conserving fixtures inside the house are quickly becoming ‘no-brainer’ choices. More and more new homebuyers expect features that match their own commitments to sustainable living.”
At the same time, builders can market the attractive features while demonstrating their commitment to the community by minimizing impacts on water resources.
Future plans to expand the program include homeowner, community and commercial certifications.
The program is an upper-tier version of the Florida Water Star Silver certification program, which was originally developed by the St. Johns River Water Management District in 2006. The District collaborated with St. Johns to develop the “gold” level, which will be the only level promoted within the District’s 16 counties. The “gold” level will ensure consistency among current practices that are the result of several existing landscaping and water conservation programs put in place through the District’s partnership with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Science’s Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program.
In January, 43 people participated in the first training for FWSG program certifiers.
The three-day training includes classroom and hands-on exercises that focus on the criteria for indoors, landscaping and irrigation. Participants learn what to look for and how to use the criteria to evaluate a home. At the end of the training, participants must score 80 percent or higher on an exam and successfully complete two apprenticeship inspections before becoming a Florida Water Star certifier. Certifiers may practice anywhere in the state.
For more information about the District’s FWSG program, please contact Susan Douglas at (352) 796-7211, ext. 4752.