FAQ.

1. Why should our town participate in the Water Detectives program?

While the Mayor’s Pledge is a national awareness campaign, the Water Detectives program is the "boots on the ground" engine that drives participation.

Turnkey Results: We handle the curriculum and the students; the students then bring the pledge home.
Civic Pride: It moves your city up the national leaderboard through high-volume residential pledges.
Infrastructure Relief: Every leak found during a student's Home Audit reduces the burden on your municipal water and wastewater treatment systems.

2. How much staff time will this require from my office?

Virtually zero. We understand that municipal offices are stretched thin. The Red Sand Foundation manages:

School district outreach and teacher coordination.
Distribution of all physical and digital materials (Home Audit forms).
Data collection and reporting of conservation "wins" to your office.
Your only role is to serve as the "Champion"—we provide the press release templates and photo opportunities.

3. How exactly do WE manage the program?

We act as the program administrator between the school district and the town. Our management process includes:

Curriculum Integration: We align our "Water Detectives" activities with current educational standards so that teachers want to use them.
The Home Audit Form: We guide students through a structured investigation of their home’s water fixtures.
Pledge Conversion: We facilitate the final step of the audit, where families officially register their "Water Pledge" on the national site on behalf of your town.

4. Is there a cost to the town for this management?

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit and EPA WaterSense® partner, we fund our operations through sponsorships and partnerships. Our goal is to provide this as a high-value, low-cost (or no-cost) service to the municipalities we serve.

5. How do we track the "Return on Investment"?

We provide your office with an Impact Report at the conclusion of the challenge. This includes:

Number of students/households engaged.
Estimated gallons of water saved based on leaks identified and repaired.

Why We Do the Work (The "Invisible" Management)

We believe that Blue is the New Green, but we know that change only happens when it is made easy for leaders. We manage the heavy lifting—curriculum, logistics, and data—so you can focus on leading a more sustainable, "Water-Wise" community