The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will present a special recognition award to the citizens of Bern, Kan., for the town's groundbreaking achievements in energy and water conservation. This is the first DOE award created specifically to recognize citizens' efforts in water and energy saving. Nearly the entire town of Bern and surrounding area - 270 residents, age 8 months to 88 years - will travel to Washington D.C. to accept the honors.

Residents of the water-starved town (population 204, seven miles from the Nebraska border) took part in a landmark water and energy conservation study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Maytag Appliances. For the study, Maytag supplied 103 Bern households with high efficiency washers, and asked participants to record their laundry usage for four months. The study documented that consumers used up to 40 percent less water and 60 percent less energy by simply replacing their machines with high-efficiency models. Today, the machines annually save 860,359 gallons of water in Bern -- enough to fill the town's 50,000-gallon water tower 17 times. The average annual water and energy savings are estimated to be $150 per household, depending on utility rates, model replaced and usage.

The citizens of Bern have proven that even a tiny town can make a huge difference in water and energy conservation. As a result of their participation in the Bern Washer Study, they have not only helped the town previously plagued by water shortages and droughts, they have helped the nation by providing valuable data that can be used by other communities and businesses.

The award will be presented at a special luncheon on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill. Presenters will include David Garman, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy; Bill Beer, President of Maytag Appliances, and participants of the Bern Washer Study.

Maytag Corporation

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