HCWA advocates fixing household leaks and installing WaterSense toilets
(McDonough, GA – April 21, 2016) While hosting in-store demonstrations at The Home Depot in McDonough during national Fix-A-Leak Week, water professionals from the Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) also reminded customers of another water saving tip – the use of EPA WaterSense labeled toilets.
To provide an incentive for customers to convert their old toilets to more water efficient devices, the HCWA is a utility that offers a Toilet Rebate Program.
The newer, more efficient toilets are available at many home improvement stores, and these products can save water utility customers water and money, says Tara Brown, HCWA Environmental Compliance Coordinator. EPA WaterSense labeled toilets can be purchased for as little as $99, and for having them installed, HCWA customers may qualify for a $100 rebate credit on their water bill.
“If customers haven’t changed out their toilets since 1993, this is a great time to do so,” says Brown. “We are continuously encouraging residents to fix household leaks to reduce water loss and to save money, but converting older toilets to more water-efficient models can save additional dollars on monthly water bills as well.”
By replacing old toilets with WaterSense labeled models, the average household can save 13,000 gallons of water, which can equate to a 10 percent reduction in their average monthly water bill.
Fix-A-Leak Week is a national event of the EPA WaterSense Program. It is designed to instruct citizens on how to find and fix household water leaks, especially in plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems, to save valuable water and money.
According to industry figures gathered by the EPA, household leaks waste more than 1 trillion gallons of water nationwide each year, which is equivalent to the average annual water use in 11 million homes. For example, a leaky faucet dripping at the rate of one drop per second can result in 3,000 gallons of water loss per year. A shower leaking at 10 drips per minute can waste more than 500 gallons per year.
The HCWA is an EPA WaterSense utility promotional partner. EPA created WaterSense as a credible, national brand with a strong and consistent water-efficiency message. By promoting the value of water, the WaterSense program also helps consumers and organizations make smart choices regarding water use and water-using products.
In 2008, the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District initiated a Toilet Rebate Program, which the HCWA offers to its customers. Henry County is among the 15 counties within the Metro Water District. As a result of the Toilet Rebate Program, over 100,000 old, inefficient toilets have been replaced with WaterSense-labeled models, resulting in a savings of more than 900 million gallons of water per year within the Atlanta region.
Media contact:
Chris Wood, Ph.D.
Phone: 770-757-1681
Email: chris@jwapr.com
HCWA contact:
Tara Brown, Environmental Compliance Coordinator
Phone: 678-583-3810
Email: tara.brown@hcwa.com