HAWTHORNE : Agencies Will Help Pay for Low-Flush Toilets

Residents of Hawthorne can get help paying for the installation of toilets that use less water, under a program sponsored by the city and the West Basin Municipal Water District.

All residents are eligible for a $75 rebate from the district if they install ultra-low-flush toilets. Some residents--for example, a family of four with an income less than $38,650--can get free toilets and installation, said water district spokesman Dave Hill.

“Generally speaking, low-income people don’t take advantage of these kinds of programs because they can’t afford the out-of-pocket expenses,” Hill said, adding that many low-income homes have more people living in them.

“Their usage is higher so their chance of conserving is higher,” Hill said.

More than 1,400 toilets are expected to be replaced in the program, which started Tuesday.

The program for low-income households includes a free water-use survey. Plumbers will fix small leaks, install water-conserving shower heads and teach homeowners how to use less water inside and outside their homes.

Old-style toilets typically use five to seven gallons of water per flush, but the toilets West Basin will install use only about 1.6 gallons.

Hill said the ultra-low-flush toilet should reduce consumers’ water bills by 20% to 25%, and reduce water use within the city by more than 14 million gallons a year.

This season’s low rainfall could increase interest in water conservation, Hill said.

“If we don’t get significant rainfall next winter you’ll see rationing,” he said.