The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with the City of Winter Haven Utilities to promote water conservation by providing toilet rebates of up to $100 for each high-volume toilet replaced with a low-flow model.
High-volume toilets can use three gallons or more per flush, while low-flow toilets use up to 1.6 gallons per flush.
Residential customers within the Winter Haven service area are eligible to participate in the low-flow toilet rebate program. Single-family customers can replace up to two toilets per household, while multi-family dwellings will be encouraged to replace all toilets at one time.
The project is expected to replace up to 1,000 high-volume toilets to save approximately 24,175 gallons of water per day.
All toilets must be inspected by the City of Winter Haven. At the time of inspection, the customer will also be given a water conservation kit, which includes low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators.
Conventional showerheads can use up to four gallons per minute, while low-flow showerheads use up to 2.5 gallons per minute and are also equipped with a lather-switch, which temporarily stops the flow of water without losing any heat when it is turned back on.
In addition to providing rebates and showerheads, program participants will also receive information on proper maintenance practices, such as flapper replacement, to ensure that their low-flow toilets continue to conserve water. They will also receive information about detecting leaks and other methods of indoor water conservation.
The project is expected to cost $107,500. As part of the agreement, the city may receive up to $53,750 in financial assistance from the District’s Peace River Basin Board.
Customers interested in participating in the project may contact Winter Haven Strategic Initiatives/Capital Projects Director, Kim Hansell, at 863-298-5470 for the qualification requirements and applications.