Evansville, Ind. – As the seasons change and Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, Nov. 6, CenterPoint Energy is reminding customers that now is a good time to prepare for the winter heating season with some simple household safety and energy efficiency measures.

When setting your clocks back one hour on Sunday, remember to take care of these tasks around your home:

• Replace the batteries in your home’s smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Check the expiration dates on these devices. Smoke alarms typically have a lifespan of 10 years, while carbon monoxide detectors last five years.
• Clean the vent ductwork on your dryer to reduce the potential for a dryer-related fire. It also helps your appliance run more efficiently.
• Schedule your annual furnace inspection with a qualified technician to make sure your heating system is running safely and efficiently.

Now is also a good time to take advantage of energy efficiency tips to reduce your energy usage and lower your utility bills:

• Replace or clean your furnace filter regularly. Good air flow is essential for maximizing efficiency and the life of your furnace.
• Uncover heating vents. Make sure vents are not blocked by furniture or drapes to ensure proper air flow.
• Turn down the thermostat. Lower it by 10 degrees at night or when you’re away for at least eight hours. You can potentially save 10% on your space heating costs. With a programmable thermostat, it’s easy to have your heating system work around your schedule.
• Seal air leaks with caulking and weather stripping around windows and doors.  By keeping warm air in and cold air out, you can reduce your energy usage and costs.
• Turn ceiling fans to rotate clockwise. It produces an updraft and moves warm air away from the ceiling into the rest of the room.
• Close the fireplace damper when not in use. An open damper allows warm air to escape your home.

WASHINGTON (November 4, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Final Fifth Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5), which will serve as the basis for EPA’s regulatory considerations over the next five-year cycle under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This update includes a substantial expansion of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), an important first step towards identifying additional PFAS that may require regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

“Following public engagement and robust scientific review, the final contaminant candidate list is the latest milestone in our regulatory efforts to ensure safe, clean drinking water for all communities,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “As EPA takes action to protect public health and the environment from PFAS, including proposing the first nationwide drinking water standards later this year, today’s final CCL 5 looks further forward to consider additional protective steps for these forever chemicals.”

A year ago, EPA published the PFAS Strategic Roadmap, outlining an Agency-wide approach to addressing PFAS in the environment. Today’s announcement strengthens EPA’s commitment to protect public health from impacts of PFAS and support the Agency’s decision-making for potential future regulations of PFAS.

In addition to a group of PFAS, the Final CCL 5 includes 66 individually listed chemicals, two additional chemical groups (cyanotoxins and disinfection byproducts (DBPs)), and 12 microbes.

In developing the Final CCL 5, EPA requested public nominations, providing an opportunity for people to make recommendations to the Agency about specific contaminants of concern that may disproportionally affect their local community. EPA further enhanced the CCL process based on comments received on this CCL and previous CCLs, including by prioritizing data most relevant to drinking water exposure, improving considerations of sensitive populations including children, and considering the recommendations included in the Review of the EPA’s Draft Fifth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5) report from the Science Advisory Board. These improvements resulted in a Final CCL 5 that can better inform the prioritization of contaminants for potential regulatory actions and/or research efforts.