Golf Course Industry Veteran is Selected by an Independent Judging Panel for Creating and Implementing Innovative and Effective Golf Course Environmental Stewardship Programs Supporting Responsible Water Use

AZUSA, Calif. (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) October 8, 2008 -- Rain Bird, the leading manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services, announced today that Christopher S. Gray, Sr., Golf Course Superintendent at Marvel Golf Club in Benton, Kentucky, is the recipient of the 2008 Intelligent Use of Water™ Award.

I believe it is very important to use water as intelligently as possible and it is our responsibility as an industry to commit to finding alternative sources of water to meet the needs of golf courses

We need to leave this world a better place for future generations. None of us wants our children to have to worry about where their water is going to come from.

Beyond water savings, the system has proven to be beneficial in a number of ways as it helps keep Kentucky Lake clean, and significantly reduces the amount of energy used by the course as we no longer need to pump water out of the lake

All of the finalists were exceptional and Rain Bird is proud to be able to salute each for their outstanding efforts and innovative water management practices resulting in improved water landscape conservation

As this year's winner, Christopher's leadership, ingenuity and overall commitment to sustainability is a real testament to the ability of golf courses to not only be compatible with the environment, but in many ways enhance it.

“I believe it is very important to use water as intelligently as possible and it is our responsibility as an industry to commit to finding alternative sources of water to meet the needs of golf courses,” said Gray. “We need to leave this world a better place for future generations. None of us wants our children to have to worry about where their water is going to come from.”

Harvesting over 14 million gallons of reclaimed water per year, the innovative system eliminates the need to pull water from the local water district or nearby Kentucky Lake for irrigation purposes and significantly reduces the risk of any lake contamination from the use of pesticides and fertilizers on the golf course.

“Beyond water savings, the system has proven to be beneficial in a number of ways as it helps keep Kentucky Lake clean, and significantly reduces the amount of energy used by the course as we no longer need to pump water out of the lake,” added Gray.

As the 2008 Intelligent Use of Water Award winner, Rain Bird will present Gray with a check for $10,000 in acknowledgment of his contributions toward protecting Earth’s most precious resource at the Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition, October 11, 2008 in Los Angeles, Calif.

Emanating from the same ideals that provide the basis for Rain Bird's core commitment to The Intelligent Use of Water, The Intelligent Use of Water Award program seeks to bring about a greater knowledge and awareness of the need for water conservation by recognizing outstanding contributions by individuals and or organizations towards the advancement of landscape water efficiency. Selected by a panel of judges according to pre-determined criteria, including demonstrated water savings, preservation of landscapes, innovation and overall impact on the community, the 2008 Intelligent Use of Water Award finalists included a mix of organizations and individuals, each with a unique commitment to improved water efficiency.

“All of the finalists were exceptional and Rain Bird is proud to be able to salute each for their outstanding efforts and innovative water management practices resulting in improved water landscape conservation,” said Dave Johnson, Rain Bird's Director of Corporate Marketing. “As this year’s winner, Christopher’s leadership, ingenuity and overall commitment to sustainability is a real testament to the ability of golf courses to not only be compatible with the environment, but in many ways enhance it.”

Judging this year’s entries were Elizabeth Cutright, Editor, Water Efficiency, The Journal for Water Conservation Professionals; Dan Stark, Executive Director of the American Public Gardens Association; Ron Stoltz, Director of the School of Landscape Architecture at The University of Arizona and Marty Eberhardt, Executive Director of The Water Conservation Garden, 2007 winner of The Intelligent Use of Water Award.

Rain Bird’s Intelligent Use of Water Award program is part of a range of programs and initiatives to boost awareness of the need for water conservation. Rain Bird devotes significant resources to its Intelligent Use of Water public initiatives, which include a series of white papers; public service announcements; membership on the Alliance for Water Efficiency and the steering committee advising the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its WaterSense product labeling program; biannual Intelligent Use of Water Summits; partnerships with nonprofit organizations; development and support of elementary and middle school curricula; The Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition; and participation in the Tournament of Roses Parade^®, an annual worldwide stage to communicate the need for water conservation.

To learn more about Rain Bird’s commitment to The Intelligent Use of Water, visit http://www.rainbird.com/iuow/.

ABOUT RAIN BIRD CORPORATION

Based in Azusa, Calif., Rain Bird Corporation is the leading manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services. Since its beginnings in 1933, Rain Bird has offered the industry’s broadest range of irrigation products for farms, golf courses, sports arenas, commercial developments and homes in more than 130 countries around the world. Rain Bird has been awarded more than 130 patents, including the first in 1935 for the impact sprinkler. Rain Bird and The Intelligent Use of Water™ is about using water wisely. Its commitment extends beyond products to education, training and services for the industry and the community. Rain Bird maintains state-of-the-art manufacturing assembly facilities in the United States, France, Sweden and Mexico http://www.rainbird.com.

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water, lawn, garden, home, golf, kentucky, conservation, rainbir

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