City of Durham, NC Toilet Rebate Program expanded

Source: http://www.durhamnc.gov/departments/wm/toilet_rebates.cfm

Program Overview

The City of Durham Department of Water Management has expanded the WaterSense High Efficiency Toilet (HET) Rebate Program to increase program participation and water savings and to better serve the Durham community. Any toilet purchased must be a High Efficiency Toilet (HETs use an average of 1.28 gallons per flush) and MUST be on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA)WaterSense list. Any toilet which meets the criteria and was purchased after January 1, 2008, will be eligible for the rebate. Rebates will be applied as credits to customers’ water bills.

Residential Customers

Each single-family residential customer can receive a rebate credit for the replacement of all existing 1.6 gallons (or more) per flush toilets in their residence with a WaterSense HET model. The amount of the rebate will continue to be $100 per toilet. To apply for the rebate/credit, submit all of the following:

• The original dated sales receipt(s)
• A copy of your most recent water bill
• A completed Single Family Residential Customer application

Multi-Family/Commercial/Industrial/Institutional Customers

Multifamily customers, commercial customers, industrial customers, and institutional customers are eligible for rebates upon the replacement of a 1.6 gpf (or more) toilet with a WaterSense HET model. Each account holder is eligible for up to 75 rebates of $100 each. A separate application is required for each account. Each customer has the option to appeal for additional rebates. Staff will evaluate the needs of the program, including program equity and availability of funds, when determining the outcome of the request. The rebate(s) will still be provided as a billing credit and will ONLY be applied to the account serving the location where the toilets are located/installed. For example, when a water bill is in the tenant’s name at a rental property, the tenant will receive the credit; when a water bill is in a landlord’s name, the landlord will receive the credit. To apply for the rebate/credit, submit all of the following:

• The original dated sales receipt(s)
• A copy of your most recent water bill for each account
• A completed Multi-Family/Commercial/Industrial/Institutional Customer application

All materials should be mailed to:
Department of Water Management
Durham HET Rebate Program
1600 Mist Lake Dr.
Durham, NC 27704

Do NOT mail your bill with your rebate materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a WaterSense High Efficiency Toilet?
   WaterSense is the Environmental Protection Agency’s labeling program for water efficiency products. WaterSense labeled toilets use an average of only 1.28 gallons of water per flush and have passed rigorous testing standards.

1. Do I have to buy the toilet at a particular store?
   No. As long as the toilet is an HET on the EPA’s WaterSense list, a customer can buy it from any retailer, even online, but we do need the original invoice(s) or sales receipt(s) sent in with the application. The Department of Water Management advises customers to keep a copy of the sales invoice(s) or receipt(s) for their records.

1. Are all of the toilets on the EPA WaterSense list available at all retailers?
   That is unlikely. The Department of Water Management has informed local retailers about the program and encouraged them to carry a stock of HET models. No retailer will have every toilet, but approved toilets are available locally. Many plumbing supply stores can special order toilets as well.

1. Is there anything else I need to buy with the toilet?
   This will depend on the toilet purchased, as some toilets come in complete kits. It may be possible that a new wax ring or additional bolts may be needed when purchasing the toilet. Check with your retailer or plumber to ensure you have all the equipment needed to have a working toilet.

1. Do I have to hire someone to install the toilet?
   No. Individual customers may choose to install a toilet. If you purchase a toilet through a plumber, be sure the model number of the toilet is listed on the receipt.

1. How will I receive the rebate?
   Once all required information is received by staff, the rebate will be applied as a credit to your water and sewer account.

1. When will I receive my credit?
   The first week of each month Customer Billing Services receives a list of rebates that have been processed and approved from the prior month which are applied as a credit to customers’ water bills. Please allow up to 120 days for your credit to appear on your water bill.

1. Will the City be checking to see that my toilet has been installed?
   As part of the rebate process, customers must agree to allow a post-installation inspection.

1. How long will the toilet rebate program last?
   The program is offered on a first-come, first-served basis and will function as long as allocated funds permit.

1. Where can I get more information on HET models?
   Here are some helpful links:
   • EPA WaterSense Labeled Toilets
   • Maximum Performance Testing results of Popular Toilet Models
2. Where can I get more information on Durham’s HET Rebate Program?
   For information, call (919) 560-4381 or e-mail toiletrebate@durhamnc.gov.

Georgia Water Conservation by Alice Miller Keyes, Georgia EPD

Georgia Water Conservation by Alice Miller Keyes, GA EPD – Presentation Transcript

1. Water Conservation in Georgia 2010: A BIG YEAR Alice Miller Keyes GA Environmental Protection Division Watershed Protection Branch
2. Water Conservation in Georgia
   • The beneficial reduction in water waste, water loss and water use
   • Many Benefits:
   • • Protect river flows and aquifer levels
   • • Extend the life of existing supplies
   • • Demonstrate responsible use of shared waters

   The ultimate goal of water conservation is not to prevent water use, but to maximize each gallon of water used (WCIP 2010)

3. Extreme Drought
4. • The State Water Plan identifies WC as a priority water quantity management practice (SWP Sec. 7, Policy 3)
   • While WC is not expected to fully meet water needs, it is an effective and efficient practice for all water users (SWP Sec. 8, Policy 1)

   Statewide Water Management Plan

5. Lake Lanier Ruling
   • Judge Magnuson’s ruling
   • • water supply was not originally authorized purpose of Lanier
   • • Current supply use exceeds Army Corps authority
   • • Restricts future water use (2012)
   • Governor’s Water
   • Contingency
   • Task Force
6. • 2010
   • A Big Year!

   Lanier Ruling State Water Plan DROUGHT

7. 2010 – The Big Year for Conservation in Georgia
   • Water Conservation Implementation Plan
   • Water Stewardship Act of 2010
   • Regional planning for conservation priority
8. Water Conservation Implementation Plan
   • The WCIP creates a common vision for water conservation
   • Called for through Executive Orders and Statewide Water Management Plan
   • Can be used by organizations, agencies, water user sectors, regional water planning councils and individual water users
9. WCIP
   • The WCIP is not regulation, but a resource for all Georgia water users.
   • Includes sector specific goals, benchmarks, practices, and implementation actions for:
   • • A gricultural Water Use,
   • • Electric Generation,
   • • Golf Course Water Use,
   • • Industrial and Commercial,
   • • Landscape,
   • • Public water providers, and
   • • State agencies.
10. WCIP
    • The WCIP can be found through :
    • http://www.ConserveWaterGeorgia.net or
    • http://www.GeorgiaWaterPlanning.org
11. Water Stewardship Act of 2010
    • WSA was enacted by 2010 General Assembly
    • Reaffirms “the imminent need to create a culture of water conservation in the State of Georgia”
    • Based on recommendations of Water Contingency Task force and supported by details of the WCIP
12. WSA – Key Provisions
    • 1) Requires state agencies to inventory and enhance policies and programs that encourage conservation.
    • 2) Mandates medium and large public water systems to conduct annual water audits and follow leak abatement BMPs

    Report available online : http://www.gaepd.org – What’s New

13. Key Provisions of the WSA (cont)
    • 3) Revises state construction standards for buildings constructed after July 2012
    • • High efficiency plumbing fixtures (toilets, showerheads and urinals)
    • • Sub-metering for multi-unit buildings
    • • High efficiency cooling towers for commercial and industrial
    • 4) Modifies authorities to restrict outdoor water use and establishes a schedule for outdoor irrigation
    • 5) Calls for amendments to permitting system for farm water use
14. Regional Practices to Manage Demand
    • The SWP identifies WC as a priority water quantity management practice
    • Each Council is expected to include demand management in their regional water plan
15. Regional Planning Guidance
    • Guidance issued to Councils to:
    • • Establish a common starting point for considering demand management practices
    • • Ensure practices reflect current rules as well as amended rules expected following the SWP and the WSA, and
    • • Provide flexibility to Councils to adapt practices to the specifics of each region
16. Regional Planning – A Tiered Structure
    • Tier ONE practices – mandatory through rules or law (permittees)
    • Tier TWO practices – options addressed through rule (permittees)
    • Tier THREE practices – optional, basic (permittees and others)
    • Tier FOUR practices – beyond basic to help “close the gap” (permittees and others)
17. Regional Planning – A Tiered Structure (cont)
18. Regional Conservation Assessment Process
    • Practices are not limited to those in the Worksheets
    • Many Councils have begun evaluation
    • Guidance, not a prescriptive methodology
    • • Councils and their Contractors should use tools available
    • • Final process, inputs, outputs and results will be documented in a technical memorandum that supplements the regional plans

    Available online http://www.GeorgiaWaterPlanning.org under Technical Guidance/Regional Planning Guidance

19. 2010 – 2011 – Another Big Year?!
    • Regional Water Planning Councils conservation assessments
    • Metro North GA Water Planning District Updated practices
    • Updated Rules for water conservation
    • Water loss audits and assistance programs
    • Education and Outreach
20. Metro Atlanta Communities
    • Amend MNGWPD plans to include add’t practices for counties affected by judge’s ruling
    • Add’t practices for 6 counties include:
    • • • Maintain a water conservation program
    • • • • Dedicated staff
    • • • • Dedicated Funding
    • • • Expedite the Goal for Reducing Non-Revenue Water
    • • • Multi-family toilet rebate program
    • • • Retrofit on Reconnect
    • • • Install meters with point of use leak detection
    • • • Require private fire lines to be metered
21. Metro Atlanta Communities (cont)
    • Additional practices for all 15 counties in District
    • • Water Waste Policy or Ordinance
    • • WaterSense New Homes
    • • • Working on Metro Atlanta specific guidance on the outdoor portion.
    • • • Southface working as a License and Certification Provider.
    • • • Minimum program – incentivize this program.
    • • • Possibility to require all new single-family homes meet the WaterSense New Homes Criteria.
22. Upcoming Amended WC Rules
    • Per the WSA and the SWP, DNR is to amend rules related to conservation and water loss.
    • Amended rules will likely be coordinated and include:
    • • • Progress toward water efficiency for water withdrawal permits (SWP)
    • • • Annually report information on water efficiency (SWP)
    • • • Annually submit water system audits (WSA)
    • Likely to occur in December or early 2011
23. Water Loss Control and Assistance
    • New water loss control requirements:
    • • Minimum standards for improving the efficiency of public water systems, and
    • • Implementation of Best practices program:
    • • • Establishment of an infrastructure leakage index
    • • • A phased in approach to
    • • • • conduct standardized annual water loss audits according to the IWA water audit method
    • • • • Implement water loss detection programs
    • A technical assistance program to guide water systems water audits and loss progs
24. Education and Outreach
    • waterSmart is an education program designed to help residents statewide understand how to maintain their landscapes while using less water.

    http://www.ConserveWaterGeorgia.net

25. WaterSmart Tips
    • Water efficiently
    • Put the “right” plants in the “right” places
    • Add organic matter
    • Mulch
    • Collect water from alternative sources
    • Know the rules
26. WaterSmart Tools
    • Brochures and flyers
    • Video public service announcements
    • Homeowner workshop
    • Media Relations/Landscape Challenge
    • Drought in Georgia – a unit for 6 th grade teachers
    • Upcoming “YardStick” for certifying waterSmart landscapes
27. Thank You! Questions?
    • • Alice Miller Keyes
    • • Georgia EPD
    • • Watershed Protection
    • • Branch
    • • 912-262-3185
    • • [email_address]

    http://www.ConserveWaterGeorgia.net

It’s official: Atlanta is the first City in the Southeast offering a toilet rebate program for apartment buildings and condominiums

Mayor Kasim Reed officially announced the first Multi-Family toilet rebate program in the Southeastern United States during the City of Atlanta’s Sustainability Week, October 25-29, 2010. In his  “Power to Change” speech, he outlined how Atlanta plans to become one of the top-ten sustainable cities in the nation.

Below you will find the details on the Multi-family toilet rebate program – you can also visit  the following link for the rebate application. http://www.atlantawatershed.org/owe/multi-family-toilet-rebate.htm

Multi-family Toilet Rebate Program

• Multifamily Toilet Rebate Application
• Multifamily Recycling Guidelines

The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management extends its high-efficiency toilet rebate to multifamily customers

Apartment and condominium communities that are City of Atlanta water customers may qualify if the following criteria are met:

• The property was built prior to 1993
• Existing toilets use more than 1.6 gallons per flush
• Property owner/manager is up-to-date on water bill payments
• Property owner/manager has water and sewer account with DWM
• Property owner/manager agrees to a pre-installation water audit inspection by DWM
• Property owner/manager purchases all fixtures and arranges for/pays for installation
• Property owner/manager provides proof of purchase (original receipts) and proof of installation (plumber/contractor statement or invoice)
• Property owner/manager contracts with a licensed waste hauler who will transport used porcelain toilets to one of two porcelain recyclers in the Atlanta area (documentation from recycler required)
• Property owner/manager agrees to a post-installation verification site visit by DWM
• Property owner/manager completes a multifamily toilet rebate application (which includes all documentation listed above)

If the above criteria are met, the property owner/manager will receive a $100 rebate for each toilet replaced with a 1.28 gallon-per-flush or less EPA WaterSense toilet. Look for the  label.

Rebates will be applied to the water account(s) for the property in question.

Rebates will be applied to qualifying applicants on a first-come, first-served basis as long as funding is available.

For more information about the Multifamily Toilet Rebate Program, contact Jennifer Carlile, jcarlile@atlantaga.gov, (404) 546-1265.

San Marcos, TX offers Multi-Family Toilet Rebate Program

http://www.ci.san-marcos.tx.us/departments/www/MFToiletRebateProgram.htm

Jan Klein, Conservation Coordinator

(512) 393-8310

 

Multi-Family Toilet Rebate Program

Almost a third of the water used in San Marcos is used by residents living in multi-family communities such as apartment complexes, condominiums, and townhomes.  Toilets are generally the highest user of water in multi-family facilities, especially those built before efficient plumbing standards went into effect in 1993.

Older toilets commonly use 3.5 gallons of water per flush or more.  Low flow models use only 1.6 gallons per flush, and high efficiency toilets (HETs) use only 1.3 gallons per flush.  Replacing your old toilets with new high efficiency models can result in BIG water savings.  And big water savings mean BIG utility bill savings for you and your tenants.

How much can I save?
More than you think!  And you could save even more if you take advantage of our FREE showerhead and aerator replacement too!

 

Number of  Residents	Gallons Saved per Day	Gallons Saved per Month	Dollars Saved per Month	Dollars Saved per Year
50	550	16,500	$209	$2,502
100	1,100	33,000	$417	$5,005
150	1,650	49,500	$626	$7.508
200	2,200	66,000	$834	$10,011

(Water savings based on toilet replacement only; dollar savings based on current City water and wastewater rates)

 

Which toilets qualify for a rebate?

Only EPA WaterSense labeled toilets qualify for a rebate.  Contact the City Water Department for a complete list of qualifying models.

How much of a rebate will I get?

Up to $100.00 for each high-flow toilet that is replaced with a qualifying model.

How does the program work?

Step 1: Before purchasing your new toilets, send a completed applicationto the City of San Marcos Water/Wastewater Department.

Step 2: The City will conduct an inspection of your complex to verify eligibility.

Step 3: The City will send a Letter of Approval to proceed with purchase and installation of your new toilets, along with a list of models that qualify for a rebate.

Step 4: Purchase and install your new qualifying ultra-low-flush toilets. Installation must be completed within 90 days after the date of your Letter of Approval .

Step 5: Send in your receipts for purchase and installation of the new toilets.

Step 6: The City will conduct a final inspection to verify installation.

Step 7: The City will send your rebate check in the mail.

Funding is limited, and is available on a first come/first serve basis beginning October 1 of each year.

Qualifying Models

Multi-Family Application & Guidelines

 

Caroma, Moen Recognized By WaterSense – Industry News – PMEngineer

Caroma, Moen Recognized By WaterSense – Industry News – PMEngineer.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program presented high-efficiency, dual-flush toilet manufacturer Caroma with its inaugural Excellence Award for Caroma’s number of WaterSense-labeled products in the marketplace — all 47 of its floor-mount, dual-flush toilet models, more than any company in the industry. The company’s award-winning Smartflush toilets surpass both the U.S. federal requirement of no more than 1.6 gpf for new toilets, as well as the North American high-efficiency toilet standard of 1.28 gpf. 

The EPA made the presentation at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference in Las Vegas during its second annual WaterSense awards banquet Oct. 6, co-hosted with the Alliance for Water Efficiency. 

“We are deeply honored and grateful to receive an Excellence Award, and we are proud to be a leader in the effort to preserve the world’s most valuable resource,” said Derek Kirkpatrick, Caroma North America’s general manager. “Caroma has been a tireless supporter of sustainable technologies for more than 70 years, and we look forward to strengthening our commitment to changing the way bathroom water is used and conserved.”

 

 

WaterSense Partners Of The Year Named

The EPA also named four Partners of the Year for their exceptional efforts in promoting water efficiency and WaterSense-labeled products. The WaterSense program’s more than 2,000 partners help save water for future generations by promoting water efficiency and WaterSense-labeled products. 

“These partners contributed significantly to our efforts to make WaterSense-labeled products a household fixture in 2009,” said Peter S. Silva, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Water. “They also helped consumers who purchased these products save 36 billion gallons of water and more than $267 million in water and sewer bills in 2009.”

The partners of the year are: 

Manufacturer Partner of the Year: Moen. Bathroom fixture manufacturer Moen earned the WaterSense label for all of its 267 bathroom faucet fixtures, ensuring availability of water-saving faucets for consumers at every price point, and garnered significant national media attention for WaterSense.

Promotional Partner of the Year: Cascade Water Alliance, King County, Wash. Cascade Water Alliance collaborated with retailers and plumbers to promote water efficiency in the Puget Sound region and rebated more than 3,000 WaterSense-labeled toilets for households and local businesses.

Retailer Partner of the Year: Lowe’s Cos. Big-box retailer Lowe’s launched a “Build Your Savings” program to help customers select products that save energy, water and money, winning WaterSense Retail/Distributor Partner of the Year for the second year in a row.

Irrigation Partner of the Year: Judy Benson of Clear Water Products and Services (Clear Water PSI), Florida.Benson educated businesses and consumers on outdoor water efficiency and encouraged other irrigation professionals in the central Florida region to partner with WaterSense.

To learn more about the WaterSense awards winners, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.

Water conservation rebate programs Round Rock City and Pflugerville, TX

Water conservation rebate programs.

By Kathryn Eakens Friday, 02 July 2010

 

Though the summer is off to a wet start, weather patterns are difficult to predict, and a drought can happen at any time. The cities of Round Rock and Pflugerville both offer programs that not only encourage residents to conserve water, but can also save them money in the process.

Round Rock

The Round Rock City Council approved a resolution May 27 creating two new water conservation pilot programs—a toilet rebate program and an efficient irrigation program—which began June 1.

Click for larger image

The toilet rebate program offers City of Round Rock residential water customers a rebate for replacing their existing toilets with a model off the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense list. Similar to the logo associated with the Energy Star Program, the WaterSense logo—a blue and green water droplet—signifies products that have been third-party tested and designated water efficient.

“The toilet is the No. 1 user of water inside the house. If you’re going to do one thing inside your house to save water, it should be to replace your toilet with a WaterSense label model,” City Water Conservation Specialist Jessica Woods said. “It’s the easiest thing to do and the most cost-effective thing to do.”

A resident can receive a rebate of up to $100 per toilet for replacing up to two toilets in their home, which must have been built prior to Jan. 1, 1996.

“In 1992, a national standard became effective saying all toilets have to use 1.6 gallons per flush or less, but all the manufacturers did was put less water in the tank so those early ’90s toilets were just awful,” Woods said. “By 1995, the industry had reconfigured how the toilets actually worked so anything built since 1996 has those second generation toilets that are better. That’s why I chose that as the cutoff date.”

To qualify for the efficient irrigation program, residents must also be City of Round Rock water customers—residential or commercial—and have an existing irrigation system.

“I’ll come out to the property and conduct an irrigation evaluation on their system to see how much water it’s using now and give my recommendations on what could help that system be more efficient,” Woods said. “If there’s anything I recommend that is on our rebate list, then they could get that work done and apply for a rebate.”

Residential customers can receive up to $300 in rebates, while the maximum for commercial and multifamily customers is $600.

Woods said both programs run through Sept. 30 or until funding—which comes from revenue generated by the city’s peak usage water rates—runs out. Applications are available at www.roundrocktexas.gov.

Pflugerville

The city’s Drop by Drop program, which has been in place for several years, offers City of Pflugerville water customers a rebate for landscaping their lawns with approved plants, trees, shrubs and grasses.

After filling out an application including a sketch of the current landscape and a list of planned improvements, applicants have until the end of June each year to implement the plan once it is approved by the city.

“Not only would you be reducing water, but ideally you would be reducing maintenance time in your yard so you wouldn’t be producing as many carbon dioxide emissions from lawnmowers and that kind of thing,” City Forester April Rose said. “Native plants usually need much less in the way of fertilizer so you’d be reducing not only the demand for fertilizer but the potential runoff into storm water. They also provide better habitats for birds and other wildlife.”

Participants can receive a rebate for half of their expenses, up to $500. As part of the Drop by Drop program, the city also sells rain barrels and composters to residents at cost—$40 for a rain barrel and $60 for a composter.

A demonstration garden showing some of the plants and grasses that qualify under the program is located at the Pflugerville Recreation Center, and applications are available at www.cityofpflugerville.com

College Station, TX COMMERCIAL / MULTIFAMILY toilet rebate program

http://www.cstx.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=7821

Fort Collins, Co. offers $50.00 toilet rebate

Source:http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100323/COLUMNISTS94/100322012/1024/lifestyle/Green-living-Reward-environment-and-yourself-by-saving-water-inside-and-out

Conserving water in our semi-arid region is vitally important to us all. Taking a few small actions to use water efficiently inside and out can make a big difference. All toilets are not created equally — some are thrifty while others are water-guzzlers.

 All toilets are not created equally — some are thrifty while others are water-guzzlers.

Pre-1994 toilets use 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush (gpf). Since toilets can last 25 years or more, many high water-using models are still in use. To help get those toilets out of service, Fort Collins Utilities is offering a rebate of up to $50 to install high-efficiency toilets.

Rebates are available for Utilities residential water customers who purchase qualified WaterSense labeled toilets that use 1.28 gpf or less. WaterSense products are certified by an independent laboratory to meet rigorous criteria for performance. You’ll receive a $35 rebate for the purchase of a qualifying toilet and an additional $15 for recycling your old one.

For more information on these rebates and other programs, visit fcgov.com/ FortCollinsConserves, e-mail ldaudney@fcgov.com, call               (970) 221-6877         (970) 221-6877 or TDD               (970) 224-6003         (970) 224-6003.

Broward County Public Works Department offers $100 toilet rebate

Source:

http://www.examiner.com/x-23222-Fort-Lauderdale-Green-Culture-Examiner~y2010m2d21-Broward-County-Public-Works-Department-offers-100-toilet-rebate

I know that some cities already offer a toilet rebate when a consumer purchases an EPA approved WaterSense fixture but this is the first that I know of for Broward County.

Considering that a toilet accounts for nearly 30 percent of residential indoor water consumption, it is critical to conserve our precious resource, water. If you are considering remodeling a bathroom, building a new home or need to replace an old, leaking toilet this will be the perfect opportunity to save both water and money.

The $100 toilet rebate is available for residents who have an active account with Broward County. Conditions for the rebate include buying and installing an EPA-approved WaterSense toilet. Per the application materials located on their website, customers must present a Toilet Rebate Program Application (available on online or in their office). Limit is maximum two toilet credits per residential unit.

Once you have submitted the completed application package and receipt for the toilet(s), a $100 credit per toilet will be applied to your account.

For more information visit their website at: www.broward.org/waterservices  or call 954.831.3250.

Broward County Florida  Public Works Department , Water & Wastewater Services  2555 W. Copans Road  Pompano Beach, Florida  33069

City of Fitchburg, WI approves toilet rebate program

please find program details here

http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/public_works/water_supply.php

ecoTransitions Promotes EPA’s “Fix a Leak Week” March 15–21, 2010

Marietta, GA—Because minor water leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted each year in U.S. homes, ecoTransitions is promoting “Fix a Leak Week,” March 15 through 21, 2010. Fix a Leak Week is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) WaterSense^® program as an annual reminder to Americans to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.

“Leaks can add up to more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted at home every year—that’s enough to fill a backyard swimming pool,” said Andrea Paulinellli, CEO and President. “ecoTransitions is participating in Fix a Leak Week to help homeowners save money on their utility bills and to help save water in our community and for future generations. Atlanta may lose its rights to access water from Lake Lanier in 2012. If that is the case, Georgia must undertake the difficult — and costly — process of either living on less or finding more water. By replacing old, water-guzzling fixtures in our households, we can make a great start in reducing our indoor water use by up to 50 percent.”

To help consumers here in Georgia and across the country save water, ecoTransitions and WaterSense are promoting ways to identify and repair dripping faucets, running toilets, and leaky showerheads. In most cases, fixture replacement parts pay for themselves quickly and can be installed by do-it-yourselfers, your favorite handy person, plumber, or WaterSense irrigation partner. Following are a few water-saving tips:

• Reduce faucet leaks by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and, if necessary, replace the faucet with a WaterSense labeled model. 
• Leaky toilets are most often the result of a worn toilet flapper. Replacing the rubber flapper is a quick fix that could save a home with a constantly running toilet up to 200 gallons of water per day. If the leaky toilet uses 3.5 gallons per flush, replace it with a High Efficiency Toilet and save hundreds of Dollars per year. 
• For a leaky garden hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench. 
• Landscape irrigation systems should be checked each spring before use to make sure they are not damaged by frost or freezing. 

If homeowners have to replace a plumbing fixture, ecoTransitions reminds them to look for the WaterSense label. WaterSense labeled toilets, faucets, and (soon) showerheads have been independently tested and certified to save water and perform as well as or better than standard models. For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak.

 

 

 

 

 

About ecoTransitions Inc Located in Marietta, Georgia, near Atlanta, ecoTransitions is a supplier for WaterSense labeled Caroma Dual Flush toilets. These High Efficiency Toilets (HET’s) qualify for the $100 Toilet rebate available in most Metro Atlanta Counties.  On the Web: http://www.ecotransitions.com , Email: sales@ecotransitions.com, Phone: (678) 313-9260.

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WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water. For more information on WaterSense, and for a full list of labeled products and WaterSense irrigation and builder partners, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.

Save Water While Saving Money—Georgia Sales Tax Holiday Features WaterSense® Labeled Products

If you’re planning to buy a toilet or bathroom sink faucet this fall, timing your purchase to coincide with Georgia’s sales tax holiday for WaterSense labeled products can help you save a little money. Between October 1 and October 4, 2009, customers will not have to pay sales tax on toilets and bathroom sink faucets and accessories that have earned the WaterSense label. Consumers can be sure that products with the WaterSense label have been independently certified to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) rigorous criteria for water efficiency and performance. 

Purchasing and installing WaterSense labeled products is a key way Georgians can save water. If just one out of every four households in Georgia would retrofit their bathrooms with WaterSense labeled bathroom fixtures, it could save nearly 10 billion gallons per year—enough for every Georgian to take a shower daily for about two months. 

Whether remodeling a bathroom, constructing a new home, or simply replacing older, inefficient fixtures that waste money and water, consider installing a WaterSense labeled toilet or bathroom sink faucet. 

As consumers shop for WaterSense labeled toilets during the sales tax holiday, they can be sure these fixtures use 20 percent less water than the current federal standard for toilets and that WaterSense labeled bathroom sink faucets and accessories will reduce a sink’s water flow by 30 percent or more. Because all products must be tested to meet EPA’s criteria before earning the WaterSense label, these water savings are achieved without sacrificing performance. 

The sales tax holiday on WaterSense labeled products will start Thursday, October 1 at midnight and will continue through the weekend until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 4.  Any WaterSense labeled product purchased for noncommercial home or personal use during the sales tax holiday will be Georgia state sales tax-free. 

For more information on the sales tax holiday, visit Conserve Water Georgia.

For more information on WaterSense, please visit www.epa.gov/watersense. 

For more information on WaterSense labeled, High Efficiency Toilets, please contact GA’s largest seller of the award-winning Caroma Dual Flush toilets, ecoTransitions. All of Caroma’s 47 floor mounted models also qualify for the $100 toilet rebate offered by most Metro Atlanta Water authorities. For more information, visit http://www.ecotransitions.com/ or contact them via email at sales@ecotransitions.com or by phone at (678) 313-9260.

Sales Tax holiday in Georgia October 1-4, 2009

October 1-4, 2009

A culture of conservation is growing in Georgia.

We are responsible for the stewardship of our state’s natural resources. Incorporating energy and water conservation practices into our daily lives benefits everyone in our state now and for generations to come. And small changes can make a big impact in our pocketbooks. To help make those changes a little easier, Georgia is offering the ENERGY STAR® and WaterSense® Sales Tax Holiday, Oct. 1-4, 2009.

During the sales tax holiday, you can purchase ENERGY STAR-qualified or WaterSense-labeled products up to $1,500 without paying sales tax. In addition to the up-front cost savings, purchasing and installing more-efficient appliances and products can reduce in-home utility costs and improve both energy and water conservation.

 

ENERGY STAR®

ENERGY STAR products meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy. These appliances, electronics and lighting operate while using less energy – and less money – than older models.

Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, prevented 43 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2008 alone – equivalent to the annual emissions from 29 million vehicles – and saved more than $19 million on their utility bills. By looking to ENERGY STAR for best practices and products, households can reduce their energy use and save about one-third, or $750 annually, on their utility bills, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

 

WaterSense®

WaterSense, a national program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, makes it easy to find water-efficient products. Toilets, faucets and other products that are independently certified to meet U.S. EPA criteria for water effi­ciency and performance can earn the label.

The average household spends as much as $500 per year on its water and sewer bill. By installing WaterSense-labeled fixtures and ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances that use water more efficiently, a household could save about $170 per year. If just one out of every four households in Georgia retrofit their bathrooms with WaterSense-labeled fixtures, it could save nearly 10 billion gallons of water per year – enough for every Georgian to take a shower daily for about two months.

For more information on ENERGY STAR, please visit http://www.gefa.org/Index.aspx?page=352

For more information on WaterSense, please visit http://www.conservewatergeorgia.net/documents/ waterSense_taxHoliday.html

Revised Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification – Public comment period until July 7

Source http://www.epa.gov/watersense/specs/homes.htm

Update

EPA will conduct a public meeting on June 10, 2009 from 8 am – 5 pm (Eastern Time) at the Holiday Inn Capitol – Washington, DC . To register for the meeting, please fill out and submit the Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Public Meeting Registration Form by June 3, 2009.

EPA will hold an additional public Webinar on June 22, 2009 from 1 pm – 4 pm (Eastern Time) for those unable to attend the Washington, DC meeting. To register for the Webinar, please fill out and submit the Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Public Meeting Registration Form by June 17, 2009.

Revised Specification Information

EPA released a draft specification for water-efficient single-family new homes on May 22, 2008. Based on substantial feedback and significant revisions, EPA released a revised draft specification on May 8, 2009.

This specification establishes the criteria for water-efficient new homes under EPA’s WaterSense program. When finalized, it will be applicable to newly constructed single-family homes and townhomes, three stories or less in size.

In addition, to meet the Landscape Design Criteria (Section 4.1.1), the builder may choose to comply by completing a water budget. EPA has developed a tool to guide these calculations. The first version of the tool, released on November 20, 2008, was based on methodology developed by the irrigation industry as described in Irrigation Association’s Landscape Irrigation Scheduling and Water Management (2005). This second version incorporates additional research and recommendations suggested by stakeholders as part of the public comment process.

The third-party verification of WaterSense labeled new homes is intended to confirm that the builder has met the criteria of EPA’s specification for water-efficient single-family new homes. The inspection and irrigation audit guidelines explains how inspectors verify that the criteria have been met and must be followed in conjunction with the specification. These guidelines have been revised to incorporate revisions to the specification criteria and methods by which they will be tested.

• Revised Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification Cover Letter (PDF) (9 pp, 54K) 
• Revised Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification (PDF) (10 pp, 82K) 
• WaterSense Landscape Water Budget Tool
  • Revised WaterSense Water Budget Approach (PDF) (8 pp, 71K) 
  • Revised WaterSense Landscape Water Budget Tool (MS Excel) (3 pp, 672K) 
  • ETo Finder

   

• Revised Draft Irrigation Audit Guidelines and Irrigation Audit Checklist (PDF) (5 pp, 46K) 
• Revised Draft WaterSense Labeled New Home
  Inspection Guidelines and Inspection Checklist (PDF) (21 pp, 208K, About PDF)

EPA is interested in obtaining input from all interested parties on the revised draft specification materials. The public comment period is open for 60 days and ends on July 7, 2009. Please send any comments or suggestions regarding the revised draft specification materials to <watersense-newhomes@erg.com>. All comments become a part of the public record.

In order to facilitate the consistency and utility of comments received, please submit your comments using the Template for Public Comment Submission (MS Word) (1 pp, 50K). You may either download and save this document template and directly insert your comments, or attach your comments in your own document, provided that you clearly reference the text/section in question, your recommended changes, and why you think these changes are needed.

Additionally, WaterSense will be conducting a public comment meeting in June 2009. Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

For more information about the water-efficient single family new home specification process, including the first draft, public comments, and EPA’s response to the public comments of the specification and water budget tool, please see the Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification Background Materials page.

Canada, BC: Langley Township toilet rebate program

The program offers $125 to residents who replace old, high-water-use toilets with high-efficiency dual-flush toilets.

Water plan ready for second round

Shared via AddThis

Caroma toilets offer a patented dual flush technology consisting of a 0.8 Gal flush for liquid waste and a 1.6 Gal flush for solids. Caroma, an Australian company set the standard by giving the world its first successful two button dual flush system in the nineteen eighties and has since perfected the technology. Also, with a full 3.5 ” trapway, these toilets virtually never clog. All of Caroma’s toilets are on the list of WaterSense labeled HET’s http://www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/find_het.htm and also qualify for several toilet rebate programs available in the US. Please visit my blog https://pottygirl.wordpress.com/ to learn more or go to http://www.caromausa.com to learn where you can find Caroma toilets locally. Visit http://www.ecotransitions.com/howto.asp to see how we flush potatoes with 0.8 gallons of water, meant for liquids only. Best regards, Andrea Paulinelli

Fix a Leek Week

Every Drop Counts

More than 1 trillion gallons of water are wasted in U.S. homes each year from easy-to-fix leaks. That’s why ecoTransitions is participating in Fix a Leak Week, March 16 to 20, 2009, and we encourage you to join us.

Sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) WaterSense^® program, this week is an opportunity to improve the water efficiency of your homes by checking for and fixing leaks, which waste an average of 11,000 gallons of water per home each year. That’s more than enough water to fill up a backyard swimming pool!  

Here’s how to identify and address leaks around your home:  

• Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter changes at all, you probably have a leak.           
• To determine if you have a leak, now is a great time to check water usage. If a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month in the winter, you probably have leaks! 
• Search for toilet leaks by placing a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If any color shows up in the bowl without flushing first, you have a leak. (Be sure to flush immediately to avoid staining the tank.) 
• If you decide it’s time for a new commode or faucet, look for WaterSense labeled products, which use 20 percent less water and perform as well or better than standard models. The vast majority of leaks can be eliminated after retrofitting a household with new WaterSense labeled fixtures and other high-efficiency appliances.

Faucets and Showerheads:

• A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year. A home with WaterSense labeled toilets could use that water to flush for six months!
• You can reduce faucet leaks by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and replacing them if necessary. If you are replacing a faucet, look for the WaterSense label.
• A showerhead leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year. That’s enough water to wash 60 loads of dishes in your dishwasher.
• Most leaky showerheads can be fixed by ensuring a tight connection using pipe tape and a wrench.   

Toilets:

• If your toilet is running constantly, you could be wasting 200 gallons of water or more every day.
• If your toilet is leaking, the cause is most often an old, faulty toilet flapper. Over time, this inexpensive rubber part decays, or minerals build up on it. It’s usually best to replace the whole rubber flapper-a relatively easy, inexpensive do-it-yourself project that pays for itself in no time.
• If you do need to replace the entire toilet, look for a WaterSense labeled model. If a family of four replaces its older, inefficient toilets with new WaterSense labeled ones, it could save more than 16,000 gallons per year. Retrofitting the house could save the family approximately $2,000 in water and wastewater bills over the lifetime of the toilets.

Outdoors:

• An irrigation system should be checked each spring before use to make sure it was not damaged by frost or freezing.
• An irrigation system with pressure set at 60 pounds per square inch that has a leak 1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month.
• To ensure that your in-ground irrigation system is not leaking water, consult with a WaterSense irrigation partner who has passed a certification program focused on water efficiency.
• Check your garden hose for leaks at its connection to the spigot. If it leaks while you run your hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench. 

As a WaterSense partner concerned with preserving our nation’s water supply, ecoTransitions can help you learn more. Use our water savings calculator to determine how much water you can save by installing a Caroma Dual Flush toilet.  

 

Learn More 

Fix a Leak Week is March 16 to 20, 2009. Grab a wrench or contact your favorite handy person, plumber, or WaterSense irrigation partner to address leaking toilets, faucets, and irrigation systems around your home. Visit the WaterSense Web site to learn more. 

 

About EPA’s WaterSense Program

WaterSense is a partnership program sponsored by EPA. Its mission is to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by promoting and enhancing the market for water-efficient products and services. Currently, there are nearly 250 WaterSense labeled toilets, 500 labeled faucets and faucet accessories, and more than 550 certified irrigation partners. WaterSense labeled products must achieve independent, third-party testing and certification to prove they meet EPA’s rigorous criteria for efficiency and performance.

First WaterSense® labeled new home in the Nation built by Vanguard Homes

Source: CarolinaNewswire.com

Chapel Hill, NC — NC’s leading Energy Star builders, Anderson Homes and sister company Vanguard Homes, continue to lead the way in “green” innovation. -Chosen as one of only 7 builders in the country to participate in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense new homes pilot program, Vanguard Homes has received the first ever WaterSense label on a new home. WaterSense labeled new homes by Vanguard will be designed to be at least 20 percent more water efficient than homes currently being built under traditional standards, saving homeowners more than 10,000 gallons of water per year. These homes are designed to use significantly less water inside and out, through efficient plumbing fixtures, hot water delivery, appliances, landscape design, and irrigation systems.

The first WaterSense labeled new home built by Vanguard Homes is located in the community of Briar Chapel in Chapel Hill, NC. This “Sensibly Green Concept Home” is the first home in the country to receive the EPA WaterSense label and has achieved gold level certification from the Green Home Builders of the Triangle and National Home Builder’s Association Green Building Standard.

“This kind of WaterSense label is a milestone for us as a builder and leader in the industry, and we strive to achieve that kind of excellence every day,” says Kip Guyon, President of Vanguard Homes. “It is so important to maximize homesite integrity, while minimizing environmental impact”, he also added. Vanguard Homes’ WaterSense labeled new home conserves water by using WaterSense labeled dual flush toilets, bathroom faucets and high-efficiency shower heads. In addition ENERGY STAR® rated clothes washers, dishwashers, a whole house filtration system and a hot water circulation pump work in harmony to save water.

WaterSense was created by the U.S. EPA in 2006 to help Americans save water for future generations. WaterSense labeled new homes, while saving water resources as well as money for the homeowners, also lessen the stress on water and wastewater infrastructure systems across the country.

For more information/education of the importance of WaterSense labeled new homes by Vanguard Homes, please visit http://www.epa.gov/watersense/.

To learn more about Vanguard Homes, visit http://www.VanguardHomesNC.com

WaterSense tip for the holidays

Preparing for and cleaning up after a holiday meal can use much more water than an everyday meal. Running the tap while preparing food or washing dishes can use more than 2 gallons of water every minute. If you own a dishwasher, scrape or wipe dirty dishes down with a sponge rather than pre-rinsing them before placing them in the dishwasher. If you don’t have a dishwasher, fill the sink with a few gallons of wash water and rinse them all together. Either of these simple practices could save 10 gallons. If every household reduced 10 gallons for just one day this holiday season, it would save more than 1 billion gallons of water—enough for 1 million households with dishwashers to wash their dishes for a year.

Looking for a small gift for the fixer-upper in your family? Try a little WaterSense labeled faucet aerator and you’ll give the gift of big savings. Installing WaterSense labeled faucet aerators in a home’s bathrooms could reduce the household’s water use by nearly 600 gallons and 70 kilowatt-hours of electricity used for heating the water annually. That’s enough water to do 14 loads of laundry and enough electricity to power a hair dryer for 8 minutes a day for a whole year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The True Cost of Water

Source EPA WaterSense

It’s a story more complicated than it first appears. A drought looms. A community conserves. And then, even though less water is being used, the cost of water rises.

This is the situation facing Atlanta’s northern and western suburbs, where regional water wholesaler Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority is increasing rates by about 50 cents per thousand gallons this October. Atlanta communities had cut back water use significantly in response to a record drought in the region that started in 2007.

So what gives?

Beneath the surface, this issue is more complicated than it first appears. These Atlanta suburbs, like most communities in America, had not been paying the true cost of water.

In general, the price of water in the United States has little to do with supply and demand. Municipalities and regulators typically set rates as low as possible, so much so that 30 percent of all water utilities operate at a loss or a deficit. Often water rates will increase for a multitude of reasons.

Consider this: the American drinking water infrastructure network spans more than 700,000 miles—more than four times longer than the National Highway System—and in many municipalities, these pipes are more than 100 years old. An EPA study estimates that updating aging water infrastructure could cost nearly $500 billion over the next two decades.

Inevitably, water rates will go up in order to pay for the replacement of old infrastructure, new water treatment technologies for better water quality, and new water infrastructure to support increasing populations. Water efficiency can in fact help utilities save money over the long run by delaying costly capital expansions. And many homeowners may find that through water efficiency, even if they pay more per drop of water, they will still be paying less overall on their water bills than they would have before.

What’s more, Atlanta communities were asked to take drastic, necessary measures to reduce water use well beyond water efficiency or conservation. “What is painting efficiency in a bad light in the Southeast is the failure to recognize the difference between emergency response and efficiency. The extreme watering restrictions and mandated reductions we’ve experienced in Atlanta are emergency drought management tactics and they have devastating financial ramification just like any natural disaster such as hurricanes or tornados,” said Kathy Nguyen, water-efficiency program manager for Cobb County Water System, the Authority’s largest customer. “Efficiency is not about hardship, sacrifice, and mandates and it does not destroy a water system’s fiscal plan.”

Finally, tap water is, on the whole, inexpensive. Bottled water costs from 100 times to more than 2,000 times more than tap water. In the Atlanta metro area, the Cobb County rate increase will equate to about $3.25 more for water per month for the average family. In the long run, however, it’s still better to protect water supplies and systems for future generations.

What is WaterSense?

WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water.

Sales tax holiday in Georgia for energy and water efficient products will be held October 2 – 5, 2008

The Oct. 2-5 sales tax holiday applies to ENERGY STAR appliances and, for the first time, products that carry the WaterSense label for water efficiency.

Georgia’s fourth annual ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday begins at 12:01 a.m., Thursday, October 2^nd and continues until midnight on October 5^th.  During this period, products carrying the ENERGY STAR label as well as WaterSense labeled products are exempt from the State Sales and use tax. 

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

WaterSense helps consumers to identify water-efficient products and programs. The WaterSense label indicates that these products and programs meet water efficiency and performance criteria. WaterSense labeled products will perform well, help save money and encourage innovation in manufacturing. For additional information on WaterSense, please visit http://www.epa.gov/watersense/.

The sales tax exemption is intended only for individuals and their personal use.  It does not apply to purchases made for resale, purchases by businesses, items leased or rented, or items sold at sports facilities, theme parks, restaurants, public lodging establishments and airports.

SAVE even more:

If you live in a home built prior to 1993 and have an individual residential account with a participating water utility, you may qualify for the $100 rebate on the purchase of a WaterSense labeled, High Efficiency toilet.

Authorities that participate in the Rebate program:

•·        City of Atlanta·        City of Dallas, GA·        City of Hapeville·        City of Marietta

•·        City of Smyrna·        City of Roswell·        Cherokee County·        Clayton County

•·        Cobb County·        DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management

•·        Fayette County·        Fulton County·        Gwinnett County·        Henry County

•·        Paulding County

 Visit http://www.ecotransitions.com/rebate.asp for details on the rebate program by County.

ecoTransitions Inc., a WaterSense partner is a local supplier for Caroma High Efficiency toilets. Check out their huge selection at http://www.ecotransitions.com/caroma.asp. To see why these toilets work so well, visit http://www.youtube.com/ecotransitions.

Order your Caroma High Efficiency toilet today for pickup or delivery during the Sales Tax Holiday October 2-5, 2008 and SAVE Water and Money! For more info contact sales@ecotransitions.com.