The Hampton Roads Water Efficiency Team (HR WET) was established in 1994 as a regional coalition of 16 cities and counties and four major military installations in Southeastern Virginia. It is funded by all Hampton Roads communities through the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC).

The mission of HR WET is to develop and implement a regional approach to promoting efficient water use throughout Hampton Roads. The HR WET program has established the following goals:

• Raise public awareness of the region's water supplies and the need to use them efficiently with the objective of changing habits, not lifestyles, regarding water use.
   

• Reduce per capita water consumption by increasing the number of people using water more wisely.

To achieve these goals, HR WET conducts a comprehensive educational program involving media relations, advertising, demonstrations at festivals and exhibits, and public speaking for civic groups. Other programs include a video, brochures, research on the effectiveness of water-saving kits, a clearinghouse for exchanging information on water-wise practices, and a program that recognizes water-efficient businesses and industries.

Wise water use is becoming a way of life for Hampton Roads' citizens. The region's localities are responding to this situation in the truest spirit of cooperation, reflecting the common bonds that run throughout Hampton Roads.