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Past Events & News
Archived Reports
City of Charlottesville Water Quality Reports
Water Conservation Highlights & Annual Reports
- 2022 Water Conservation Annual Report (PDF)
- 2021 Water Conservation Annual Report (PDF)
- 2020 Water Conservation Annual Report (PDF)
- 2019 Water Conservation Annual Report (PDF)
- 2018 Water Conservation Annual Report (PDF)
- 2017 Water Conservation Annual Report (PDF)
Water Conservation Annual Checklists
The City of Charlottesville has been a WaterSense Award winner every year since 2015.
2009 Water Conservation Report
The Public Works Department presented a Water Conservation Report to City Council on April 20, 2009. The report was updated in November and presented to Council on December 7, 2009.
- View the updated 2009 Water Conservation Report (PDF) (Appendices A and B are inserted in to the body of the report).
- Appendix C: Comparisons of Best Practices, Various Cities (PDF)
- Appendices D and E: Comparison of Drought Restrictions, Various Cities (PDF)
- Appendix F: Comparison of Permanent Ordinances, Various Cities (PDF)
Additional Information
Do you have a question or comment on the report, please use our Contact Us Form.
City of Charlottesville’s Community Water Supply Plan
2025
- Fix a Leak Events: Fix a Leak Home Scavenger Hunt, Fix a Leak Week, Tabling at Martin's Hardware, Charlottesville City School's STEM Fest (March 2025)
- UVA Eco-Fair: April 22nd
- Kid*Vention: April 26th
- Spring Rain Barrel Workshop: May 1st
- Rivanna RiverFest: May 10th
- Westhaven Community Day: August 2nd
2024
- Fix a Leak Events: Fix a Leak Home Scavenger Hunt, Fix a Leak Week (March 18th - 24th)
- Tom Tom Festival
- Earth Day Events
- Kid*Vention: April 27th at Ting Pavilion
- Spring Rain Barrel Workshop: April 30th, 6pm at Starr Hill Downtown at Dairy Market
- Rivanna RiverFest: May 18th, 2 - 9pm at Rivanna River Company
- Westhaven Community Day: August 3rd
- Rain Barrel Workshop: September 19th, 6pm at Starr Hill Downtown with RSEP and James River Association
- Imagine a Day without Water Art Contest & Fan Favorite
- Grand Illumination
2023
- Imagine a Day without Water Art Contest & Fan Favorite Voting
- Westhaven Community Day: August 5th
- Fix a Leak Month: Fix a Leak Home Scavenger Hunt & Virtual Fix a Leak Family 5K
- Earth Week Events
- UVA Tom Tom Career Expo: April 20th, 1 - 4pm, at ERI
- UVA and Community Eco-Fair: April 21st, 12 - 3pm at McIntire Amphitheater
- Earth Day on the Downtown Mall: April 22nd, 9am - 3pm
- Kid*Vention: April 28th at the Downtown Pavilion
- Rain Barrel Workshop: May 11th, 6 - 7 pm at Pen Park
- Rivanna RiverFest: May 20th, 2 - 9pm, at Rivanna River Company
2022
- Fix a Leak Season: March 14th - May 1st: Fix a Leak Home Scavenger Hunt, Virtual Fix a Leak Family 5K, Rivanna RiverFest
- Westhaven Community Day: August 6th
- Rain Barrel Photo Contest: August 5th - September 2nd
- Contest Winners: Lise Stoessel (most votes!), Desi Allevato, Erika Rydergaard
- Imagine a Day without Water Art Contest & Fan Favorite Voting
2021
- Fix a Leak Month: March 1st - 31st, Included the Home Scavenger Hunt, River Scavenger Hunt, and Virtual Fix a Leak Family 5K
- Imagine a Day without Water Art Contest & Fan Favorite Voting
2020
- Kid*Vention: February 8th at Key Rec Center
- Rivanna RiverFest: May 13th was cancelled due to COVID-19
- Imagine a Day without Water Art Contest & Fan Favorite Voting
2019
- Grand Illumination: Friday, December 6th at the Sprint Pavilion
- Imagine a Day without Water Art Contest & Fan Favorite Voting
- FLOW: The Rivanna River Arts Festival: September 28th, 11am - 4pm at Darden Towe Park
- Imagine a Day without Water Kickoff Event: August 28th, 3 - 5pm at the Shops at Stonefield
- Westhaven Community Day: Saturday, August 3rd
- RiverFest & Fix a Leak Family 5K: May 11th on the Rivanna River
- Earth Day Celebration: April 22nd, 11am - 2pm outside City Hall
- UVA Earth Week Expo: Building Bridges: April 16th, 11am - 2pm at Newcomb Hall
- Tom Tom Festival: April 13th, 12pm - 5pm at Market Street Park
- Kid*Vention with the Virginia Discovery Museum at Key Rec Center: Feb 9th 10am - 3pm
2018
- Kid*Vention: 10am - 3pm, Saturday, February 10th at Key Rec Center
- World Water Day: March 22nd, Celebrate by hiking at Ivy Creek on March 31st at 2pm
- UVA Earth Week Expo at Newcomb Hall Ballroom from 11am - 2pm
- Earth Day: April 22nd, Celebrate at Charlottesville Eco Fair at IX Art Park on April 22nd from 11am - 4pm
- Touch the Truck: May 5th at IX Art Park from 10am - 2pm
- Drinking Water Week: May 6 - 12
- Infrastructure Week: May 14 - 21
- National Public Works Week: May 20 - 26
- Festival of the Home: June 2nd 10 am - 5 pm at IX Art Park
- Westhaven Community Day: August 4th
- "How Do You Save Water" Art Contest
- Imagine a Day without Water Downtown Mall Event: October 10th
- Grand Illumination: November 30th
2017
- Virginia Discovery Museum’s Kid*Vention: February 18th
- Tom Tom Founders Festival: April 15th
- UVA Earth Week Expo: April 18th- Newcomb Hall
- UVA Earth Day Water Conservation Table: April 21st- UVA Lawn
- EcoFair: April 23rd at the Pavilion
- Drinking Water Week: May 7th - 13th- May 10th: Learn about your drinking water with RWSA at Ivy Creek Natural Area
- Westhaven Community Day: August 5th, 10am-1pm at 803 Hardy Drive
- Belmont Bash: September 16th, 2-6pm at Bemont Park
- Rockin the Rivanna: 10:30am - 3:00pm, September 30th at Darden Towe and Riverview Park
- UVA Fall Sustainability Festival: October 31st at UVA Hospital
- "Why Does Every Drop Count" Art Contest: Accepting entries September 12th - October 16th
- Imagine a Day without Water Event: 11am - 1pm, October 11th on the Downtown Mall
- Grand Illumination
2016
- Kid*Vention: Saturday, February 20th @ 10am - 3pm, Key Recreation Center at the East End of Downtown Mall
- World Water Day: March 22nd At University of Virginia, Clark Hall: 10am - 2pm
- Blue Ridge Home Builders Association Home Show: April 3rd, 10:00am - 2:00pm, John Paul Jones Arena
- UVA Sustainability Advocates Water Awareness Day: April 4th, 10:00am - 2:00pm, South Lawn at UVA
- Fifth Season Spring Gardening Expo: April 9th, 10:00am - 6:00pm, Fifth Season Gardening & Co, 900 Preston Ave
- Water Conservation’s Earth Day Celebration: April 22nd, Downtown Mall
- Charlottesville Earth Week- Eco Fair: April 24th, 11:00am - 5:00pm, Downtown mall & Pavilion
- Celebrate Your Drinking Water Supply: May 5th, 10:30am - 12:00pm, Ragged Mountain Reservoir- Part of Drinking Water Week May 1st - 7th, 2016: Your Water- to know it is to love it
- Westhaven Community Day: August 6th, 2016 10am - 1pm- Music, Food, Dancing, Community Info Fair, Games, Dunking booth, Awards, Sports Physicals and more!
- Imagine a Day without Water Art Contest: Runs from September 16th - October 14th
- Imagine a Day without Water: September 16th at the Downtown Mall at Central Place Plaza, Time- 11am - 1pm
- We will have a fun event to kick off our 2nd Annual Imagine a Day without Water Campaign & Art Contest
- September 17th: Belmont Bash at Belmont Park, 2pm - 6pm
- October 2nd: Bike Walk Play! at JPA Neighborhood
- October 16th: Fry’s Spring Annual Oktoberfest at Fry’s Spring Beach Club, 3pm - 5pm
- November 29th: Imagine a Day without Water Awards Ceremony at Albemarle Country Service Authority, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
2015
- Imagine a Day without Water: October 6th - 8th and Art Contest
- City Services Fair: October 23rd 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in front of City Hall on the Downtown Mall
- Fry’s Spring Oktoberfest: October 25th 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Fry’s Spring Beach club
- Belmont Bash: October 3rd, 1pm - 5pm at Belmont Park
- WVPT Kid’s Book Festival: September 26th 11 am - 2 pm, JPJ Arena
- 17th Annual Westhaven Community Day: August 1st 10 am - 1 pm
- EcoFair: April 26nd, 2015 11am - 5pm at Main Street Arena
- Kid*Vention: Saturday, February 21st, 2015 @ 10am - 3pm
- Key Recreation Center at the East End of Downtown Mall
Imagine a Day without Water
Imagine a Day without Water is a national campaign to bring awareness around the the value of water. The City of Charlottesville along with other partners have made this campaign into an art contest to engage Charlottesville area youth around the importance of saving and valuing water.
For more information about this campaign and event go to the Imagine a Day without Water Page.
Fix a Leak Family 5K
Fix A Leak Family 5K is a fun family event at the end of Fix A Leak Week, a national Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense campaign. The event focuses on tackling water leaks in your home and other water conservation tips, resources, and rebates.
For a more information about this campaign event go to the Fix a Leak Page.
National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation
The Wyland Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, April 1 - 30, is a non-profit national community service campaign. To find out more about the Wyland Foundation visit their website.
April 1st - 30th, 2017
April 1st - 30th, 2016- 3rd Place!
The City of Charlottesville is once again joining other cities across the country in asking our residents to take part in the national Wyland Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation. Mayor Signer has signed Charlottesville up for this challenge, and encourages Charlottesville residents to conserve water, save energy, and reduce pollution on behalf of the City of Charlottesville and pledge their commitment at My Water Pledge throughout the month of April.
April 1 - 30th, 2015 - 10th Place!
In 2015, over 3,900 cities in all 50 U.S. states participated contributing more than 391,325 pledges online. The nation pledged to reduce the use of more than 1.5 billion gallons of freshwater.
The City of Charlottesville ranked in the top 10 out of cities populated between 30,000 and 99,999 people for 2015. Charlottesville made over 1854 water saving pledges committing to reduce water use by 7,228,617 gallons of water this year, which is enough water to fill 11 olympic-sized swimming pools. In addition we will use 22,044 fewer single-use plastic bottles, our landfills will be 230,784 pounds less, 35,897,094 pounds of CO2 will be mitigated, and Charlottesville consumers will save $171,844 from their water saving changes!
April 1 - 30th, 2014 - 3rd Place!
Charlottesville ranked 3rd out of cities populated between 30,000 and 99,999 people for 2014
Over 3,600 cities in all 50 U.S. states participated in the 2014 Mayor’s Challenge, and together we pledged to reduce our annual consumption of freshwater by 1.4 billion gallons, reduce waste sent to landfills by 36 million pounds, and prevent more than 179,000 pounds of hazardous waste from entering our watersheds.
City of Charlottesville Wins the 2023 WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has honored the City of Charlottesville with a WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award for their work promoting WaterSense and water efficiency in 2022. WaterSense recognized its Sustained Excellence, Partner of the Year, and Excellence Award winners during the WaterSmart Innovations (WSI) Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The City of Charlottesville was one of 13 Sustained Excellence Award winners.
WaterSense honored the City of Charlottesville as a Sustained Excellence Award winner for a sixth year in a row and ninth year of receiving a WaterSense award.
City of Charlottesville Wins the 2022 WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized the City of Charlottesville with a 2022 WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award, the highest level of program recognition, for its commitment to promoting WaterSense and water efficiency in 2021. The City of Charlottesville was recently recognized along with 33 other utilities, manufacturers, builders, retailers, and other organizations that partner with WaterSense for its work in promoting water-efficient products, homes, and programs.
WaterSense honored the City of Charlottesville as a Sustained Excellence Award winner for a fifth year in a row and eighth year of receiving a WaterSense award. Highlighted programs and community engagement efforts by Charlottesville’s Water Conservation Program in 2021 include:
- Issued 149 toilet rebates estimated to save more than 1.39 million gallons of water per year!
- Held a virtual Fix a Leak campaign which included a Home Scavenger Hunt to help the community get to know their water fixtures, a Rivanna Scavenger Hunt along the Rivanna River learning about finding and fixing leaks, and a virtual Fix a Leak Family 5K.
- Held a virtual “Imagine a Day without Water” campaign and art contest with the theme “Love Our Water”, which had 224 art submissions and YouTube video announcing the winners.
- Collaborated with local partners, Community Climate Collaborative and Virginia Discovery Museum, to deliver 400 climate action kits to the Walker Upper Elementary fifth grade class on Earth Day, which included a toilet leak detection activity.
Charlottesville Water Conservation Program Receives Regional Recognition in Public Information
The Virginia Section of the American Water Works Association (VA AWWA) recognized the City of Charlottesville Water Conservation Program with two 2022 Public Information Awards in the water awareness and education and the social media categories.
The Water Awareness and Education Award recognizes the Program’s 2021 Imagine a Day without Water Art Contest to raise awareness about water to K – 12th graders. The Water Conservation Program is getting prepared for its 2022 Imagine a Day without Water Art Contest in partnership with Albemarle County Service Authority and Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority. The 2022 art contest kicks off September 28th and youth have until October 31st to artistically show why and how they value and save water in our community.
The Social Media Award recognizes the Water Conservation Program’s dedication to communication to the Charlottesville community using social media to raise awareness about water. The primary goal of the program’s social media outreach is to education the Charlottesville community and provide them helpful tips, resources, and behavior changes posting a minimum of weekly on a relevant and important topic. Keep an eye out for the program’s weekly “Water Tip Wednesday” of “#WTW” posts on the Water Conservation Facebook Page, Charlottesville Green City Instagram Page (@CvilleGreenCity), and Public Work’s Twitter Account (@CvillePW).
The City of Charlottesville was honored at the VA AWWA Membership Appreciation and Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, September 14th, 2022 at the WaterJAM conference in Virginia Beach along with other localities and organizations.
For more information about the Virginia Section of the American Water Works Association Public Information Awards, visit www.vaawwa.org/page/public-information-awards.
City of Charlottesville Receives the 2021 EPA WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized the City of Charlottesville with a 2021 WaterSense Sustained Award, the highest level of program recognition, for its dedication to helping the community save water, even with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The City of Charlottesville was recognized along with 33 utilities, manufacturers, builders, and other organizations that are making it possible for consumers and businesses to save billions of gallons of water each year as part of its Partner of the Year Awards.
WaterSense honored the City of Charlottesville as a Sustained Excellence Award winner for a fourth year in a row and seventh year of receiving a WaterSense award. Highlighted programs and community engagement efforts by Charlottesville’s Water Conservation Program in 2020 include:
- Issued 130 toilet rebates estimated to save more than 1.21 million gallons of water per year!
- Promoted water saving tips with its weekly #WaterTipWednesday (or #WTW) on social media posting over 500 times to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
- Held a virtual “Imagine a Day without Water” campaign and art contest with the theme “What Water Means to Me”, which had 120 art submissions and featured winners during a Cville360 news segment.
- Updated and revamped the Water Conservation website (LINK) with new content and WaterSense messaging to support educating the community while there were no in-person events.
For more information about WaterSense and the 2021 award winners, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.
2020 WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized the City of Charlottesville with a 2020 WaterSense Sustained Award, the highest level of program recognition, for promoting WaterSense and water efficiency in 2019. The City of Charlottesville was recognized along with 27 utilities, manufacturers, builders, and other organizations that are making it possible for consumers and businesses to save billions of gallons of water each year as part of its Partner of the Year Awards
WaterSense honored the City of Charlottesville as a Sustained Excellence Award winner for a third year in a row and sixth year of receiving a WaterSense award. Highlighted programs and community engagement efforts by Charlottesville’s Water Conservation Program include:
- Issued 253 toilet rebates estimated to save more than 2.3 million gallons of water per year!
- Promoted water savings outside by asking “When is the best time to water your lawn?” in ads that generated over 150,000 impressions and nearly 400 clicks to the City’s Water Conservation website.
- Launched the Energy and Water Management Program, which promotes saving water and installing WaterSense labeled products internally in the City’s own buildings. The program also worked with Charlottesville City Schools to implement energy and water efficiency projects and education for staff and students.
- Distributed water saving fixtures to City residents including over 530 water conservation kits which included WaterSense labeled showerheads, faucet aerators, and toilet leak detection tablets.
Thank you to City of Charlottesville residents that support and help make the Charlottesville Water Conservation Program such a success! We are excited to find new and innovative ways to save water in Charlottesville.
2019 WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award
The City of Charlottesville received one of 25 WaterSense awards at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference for helping Americans to save water, energy, and money. The City of Charlottesville’s Water Conservation program was honored as a 2019 WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award winner, the highest level of program recognition, for several key programs and community engagement including:
- The programs toilet rebate program issued 263 rebates in 2018 including a large apartment complex which replaced 45 water wasting toilets with WaterSense labeled toilets. It is estimated that this retrofit and all the WaterSense toilet rebates issues in 2018 will save more than 60 million gallons of water per year for Charlottesville!
- Promoting outdoor water savings by using advertising on weather.com during specific weather conditions to avoid landscapes from being overwatered.
- Consistent and increased participation in numerous community events throughout the year as well as promotion of conservation messages and tips to save water through TV commercials, print ads, radio ads, online ads, and social media.
- Distribution of water saving fixtures to City residents including 483 WaterSense labeled showerheads and over 1,000 WaterSense labeled faucet aerators.
Thank you to City of Charlottesville residents that support and help make the Charlottesville Water Conservation Program such a success! We are excited to find new and innovative ways to save water in Charlottesville.
Jill Greiner, Charlottesville Water Efficiency Program Coordinator, receiving the 2019 EPA WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award.
2018 WaterSense Sustained Excelled Award
The City of Charlottesville received one of 21 WaterSense awards at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference for helping Americans to save water, energy, and money. The City of Charlottesville’s Water Conservation program was honored as a 2018 WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award winner, the highest level of program recognition, for several key programs and community engagement including:
- Outreach and messaging efforts for Charlottesville’s first significant drought in ten years using magnets on City vehicles, yard signs on public lands, direct mailers, and traditional and social media platforms to notify the community on drought restrictions.
- Initiation of #WaterTipWednesday social media campaign to provide the community regular tips and information on how to save water in Charlottesville across a wide variety of topics.
- Consistent and increased participation in numerous community events throughout the year as well as promotion of conservation messages and tips to save water through TV commercials, print ads, radio ads, online ads, and social media.
- Distribution of water saving fixtures to City residents including 600 WaterSense labeled showerheads and 1,500 WaterSense labeled faucet aerators.
Thank you to City of Charlottesville residents that support and help make the Charlottesville Water Conservation Program such a success! We are excited to find new and innovative ways to save water in Charlottesville.
Jill Greiner, Charlottesville Water Conservation Program Coordinator, receiving the 2018 EPA WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award from Raffael Stein, OWM Water Infrastructure Division, U.S. EPA.
2017 WaterSense Partner of the Year Award
The City of Charlottesville received one of 20 WaterSense awards at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference for helping Americans to save water, energy, and money. The City of Charlottesville’s Water Conservation program was honored as a 2017 WaterSense Partner of the Year Award winner for several key programs and community engagement including:
- The Imagine a Day without Water campaign and student art contest with 445 youth entries from the City and County showing what a day without water means to them.
- A new focus on being water smart outside with weather driven messaging to help inform the community when to water their lawns and promote ways to save water when it’s hot out.
- Consistent participation in numerous community events throughout the entire year as well as promotion of conservation messages and tips to save water through TV commercials, print ads, radio ads, and social media.
- Distribution of over 500 water conservation kits plus an additional 1,100 WaterSense labeled showerheads and 1,492 WaterSense labeled faucet aerators to City residents.
Thank you to City of Charlottesville residents that support and help make the Charlottesville Water Conservation Program such a success! We are excited to find new and innovative ways to save water in Charlottesville.
Jill Greiner, Charlottesville Water Conservation Program Coordinator, receiving the 2017 EPA WaterSense Partner of the Year Award from Leo Gueriguian, acting Associate Director, OWN Water Infrastructure Division, U.S. EPA.
2016 WaterSense Partner of the Year Award
The City of Charlottesville and Water Conservation Program are happy to announce that they have been recognized as a 2016 WaterSense Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The City of Charlottesville was honored at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference on October 6th, 2016 for making a difference every day through water efficiency innovation and WaterSense promotion in 2015.
Ellen Gilinsky, EPA Office of Water Senior Policy Advisor, Jill Greiner, City of Charlottesville’s Water Conservation Program Coordinator, and Veronica Blette, WaterSense Chief, the 2016 WaterSense Promotional Partner of the Year Award at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference.
2015 WaterSense Partner of the Year Award
The City of Charlottesville and Water Conservation Program are happy to announce that they have been recognized as a 2015 WaterSense Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The City of Charlottesville was honored at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference on October 8th, 2015 for making a difference every day through water efficiency innovation and WaterSense promotion in 2014.
Ellen Gilinsky, EPA Office of Water Senior Policy Advisor, giving Jill Greiner, City of Charlottesville’s Water Conservation Program Coordinator, the 2015 WaterSense Promotional Partner of the Year Award on October 8th, 2015 at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference.
2016 Virginia American Water Works Association Public Information Award in Social Media
Jason McIlwee, Jill Greiner, Lauren Hildebrand, and Dan Sweet at the Virginia AWWA Water JAM Conference accepting their Public Information Award