The Abbott and Johnson families from Chatham, NJ recently went head-to-head to see which household could save the most water in a competition organized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The amount of water each family used was monitored from July 24 – 31,2010 and was compared to a week earlier in the summer. Also included in the contest were special events like the "Shaver Saver" in which Kenneth Abbott and Chris Johnson competed to see who could shave using the least amount of water.

In the end, the Johnson family was announced the winner of the contest with a total water savings of 40%, compared to the 25% savings achieved by the Abbotts. To save water, both families reduced or eliminated the amount of water they used on their lawns, installed aerators on their faucets, and followed other water-saving tips from the EPA.

According to American Standard Chief Marketing Officer Jeannette Long, the results of this contest are strikingly similar to the 21-home retrofit test sponsored by American Standard that occurred last fall, in which families volunteered to have their old toilets, faucets, and showerheads replaced with WaterSense-certified models. "Our tests also found water savings of about 40% in these households, where the change of products seemed to lead to a higher overall consciousness about wateruse and a greater interest in water conservation," Long explained.