SANTA MARGARITA GROUNDWATER AGENCY ANNOUNCES

THREE PART EDUCATIONAL SERIES

'UNDERSTANDING OUR WATER'

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• March 9: Managing Groundwater: How Can We Prepare for an Uncertain Future?

RECENT MEETINGS

Board of Directors Regular Meeting February 7, 2019

TOILET RETROFIT CREDIT INFORMATION

TOILET REBATE PROGRAM
The San Lorenzo Valley Water District is offering two residential toilet rebate options ranging from $75 up to $200 depending on the size of the toilet you replace. Replacing older toilets with newer water-efficient, well-performing models can help you save water and money as older toilets use 3.5 gallons or more per flush (gpf) and account for about one-third of your home’s total indoor water use.

Upgrading to an Ultra-High Efficiency Toilet (UHET) can save you the most because these toilets use much less water (less than 1.0 gallons per flush!),  than other toilets and are proven to work very well. UHETs employ an innovative design with twice the flushing power and capability needed to obtain the EPA WaterSense® seal of approval for performance (i.e. waste removal) as well as water efficiency.Replacing a 3.5 gpf toilet with an UHET can reduce your total indoor water use by roughly 5,000 gallons per person per year. You can also save a significant amount of water over time by replacing 1.6 gpf toilets with UHETs.

Though several water agencies in Southern California have installed UHETs for residential customers throughout their service areas and their follow-up surveys indicate high customer satisfaction, there has been a concern that some of the older houses in the San Lorenzo Valley have limited plumbing and septic systems and may have problems with only 1 gallon per flush. That is why the San Lorenzo Valley Water District is offering rebates for the replacement of a 3.5 gallon per flush with an EPA WaterSense® approved toilet that is either an Ultra High Efficiency Toilet or a High Efficiency Toilet which uses 1.28 gallons per flush. Qualifying applicants may receive up to $200 for the replacement of an older toilet which uses 3.5 gpf or more.

Many San Lorenzo Valley Water District Customers already have 1.6 GPF toilets, but would like to conserve more water by retrofitting to a UHET. Qualifying applicants may receive up to $75 for the replacement of a 1.6 GPF toilet with an EPA WaterSense® approved UHET.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A TOILET RETROFIT CREDIT:
EPA WaterSense® approval means that UHET has undergone rigorous testing and meet WaterSense’s performance and efficiency standards (for more information on the EPA WaterSense® program for toilets, http://www.epa.gov/watersense/products/toilets.html).

*   The rebate amount cannot exceed the combined cost of the toilet (i.e. tank and bowl) and toilet seat. Parts, sales tax, and installation labor are not included.

Complete rebate eligibility requirements are listed on the toilet rebate application.
Please note:

• Rebate-eligible parts include the toilet tank, bowl, and seat only.
• Toilets must be installed and rebate applications must be postmarked within 60 days of the purchase date.
• Only EPA WaterSense® approved UHETs and HETs are eligible for rebates.
• The maximum number of toilet rebates is limited to the number of qualifying toilets in the household and a maximum of $600 will be credited per account.
• The applicant is solely responsible for removing the toilet hardware before District pick up of their old toilet (s).
• Old toilets cannot be reused. Participants agree to relinquish their old toilet(s) to SLVWD staff upon inspection. 

HOW TO APPLY FOR A HIGH EFFICIENCY OR ULTRA HIGH EFFICIENCY TOILET CREDIT:
All credits are granted on a first-come-first-served basis. Once the budget is expensed for the year the credit program will be suspended until the beginning of the next fiscal year (July1st).
In order to ensure you will be granted a credit please follow these steps:

• Click here for the Toilet Retrofit Rebate Application or contact the District’s Customer Service Department at 338-2153 to request an application for a Toilet Retrofit credit.

                (Be sure the toilet is EPA WaterSense® approved.)       

•  To ensure credit availability, complete the application and return it to the SLV Water District with the original sales receipt.

                Drop off or mail your application and receipts to:                                   
                San Lorenzo Valley Water District
                13060 Highway 9
                Boulder Creek, CA 95006

• Once the application is received the District will contact you to set up a post-installation inspection.
• Complete the retrofit and schedule a post-installation site inspection.
  (Post installation inspection must be completed within 60 days of initial application.)

Toilet replacements must be inspected by staff at SLVWD and old toilets cannot be reused. Participants must agree to relinquish their old toilet(s) to SLVWD staff upon inspection. 

• The District completes the post-installation inspection and approves the credit.
• You will receive the approved credit on your account on the next billing cycle.   

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

How do I find out how many gallons my toilet uses?
Toilets which use 1.6 gpf or less are stamped in the porcelain on the toilet bowl, right behind the toilet seat.