Everyone talks about water efficiency and rebates, but not many property managers realize the huge savings and environmental benefits associated. Apartment owners and property managers can easily cash in on cutting water usage while helping their community become more environmentally friendly.
If you’re hesitant about the upfront cost of retrofitting, you should be aware that many properties can receive financial assistance to implement water-efficient systems in their communities in addition to rebates! Here are some of the best rebates available for the biggest water hogs:
Toilets: By replacing pre-1994 toilets (which suck down 2 to 3 times the amount of water needed), with dual flush or low-flow toilets, you are eligible for a $75-$100 rebate towards a 1.28 gpf toilet. You can save $1,000 in water and sewer charged over 10 years. You’ll be amazed at how many rebate programs there are just by Googling ‘toilet rebates’.
Laundry: Apartment communities can save 330% more water, or 8,216 gallons of water, per year per unit by using a common-area laundry room instead of an in-unit washing machine. Rebates for old washing machines range from $100-$300 per coin-operated machine.
Irrigation: Many city or county programs offer free rain sensors with discounted installation costs, and up to 50% off smart controllers, and drip/sprinkler heads. Depending on your city, your property can get up to $400 to install a low water use landscape and/or conversion of at least 500 ft. of turf area or a $25 irrigation station (up to 68 stations) for upgrading an existing irrigation controller to a Smart Controller.
Kitchens: Energy Star dishwasher models save both water and energy. There are cash incentives up to $3,000 for replacing inefficient kitchen equipment with water-efficient equipment.
Showers and Faucets: Approximately 73% of water used in a typical shower is hot water. Low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators can reduce water consumption and water heating costs up to 50%. Installing high-efficiency shower heads will save about 7,800 gallons of water per year in an average household. Many companies will install low-flow shower heads and water heater pipe wrap in apartments for free. In most cases, you can earn $5-$10 rebate per shower head, however, some cities and counties may provide you with free water-efficient shower heads or faucet aerators.
Rebates and free products differ by city and county. Nearly every city or county has a webpage dedicated to water conservation, which would list multifamily rebates. Product suppliers, like Energy Star, have information about rebates on their website as well.
Consider this: You have the opportunity to help the environment while getting paid handsomely in return. A little research can go a long way.
*This article was originally published on APTly Spoken.