Rebates for Low-Flow Toilets Offered

The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District has created a new rebate incentive program to encourage its customers to replace their high water volume toilets with environmentally friendly water-conserving models.

When all toilets at one property are replaced simultaneously, the new program offers water customers a rebate of $100 per toilet. But if individual toilets are replaced, the district will offer the previously set rebate of $60 per toilet.

“Our goal in increasing the incentive is to encourage more people to do it,” water district General Manager Jim Colbaugh said. “Although we’re in the business of selling water, we want to make sure we have enough water available in the future, and we obviously have a limited water supply in Southern California.”

Since the original rebate program began in 1990, Colbaugh said, more than 6,500 toilets in the district have been replaced and more than 60 million gallons of water have been conserved. By replacing all of the toilets in a single home, district officials estimate the average household can reduce its water use by 10,000 gallons each year and shave its water bill by $50 annually.

“Combining the rebate and water bill savings, customers usually recover their costs for installing a new fixture in just one year,” Colbaugh said.

Funding for the one-year program is limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, Colbaugh said. Consequently, customers are urged to apply for the rebate as soon as possible.

All home and business owners served by the Las Virgenes district are eligible to apply for the rebate program by calling the district headquarters office and reserving a rebate for the number of toilets they intend to replace. A proof of purchase of approved fixtures is required, and installation must be completed and documented within 60 days of the rebate reservation.

Old toilets replaced through the rebate program will be accepted for recycling at the Rancho Las Virgenes Composting Facility, 3700 Las Virgenes Road from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays.

For more information or to reserve a rebate, call LVMWD headquarters at (818) 880-4110, Ext. 164.