Oʻahu is expanding a water conservation rebate program as its new sewer fee structure goes into effect.
The WaterSensible rebate program launched in 2018 and gives back money to residents and businesses for buying water-saving appliances.
Approved washing machines are eligible for a $150 rebate, and toilets can return up to $200 to buyers — double the previous rebates for those items. Rebates for other machines are available as well.
Honolulu Board of Water Supply Chief Engineer Ernie Lau said the updated rebates will help customers with their water bills while preserving water.
“We’ve saved about 124 million gallons (per year) of water through the rebates and our customers changing out inefficient fixtures like high water-using toilets using more than 1.28 gallons,” Lau said.
"It's really made a difference. … And we feel that with the increase in rebates, we'll be able to help our customers save even more water, our precious wai, but also reduce their water bills.”
Last year the City and County of Honolulu passed a law that increases residents’ sewer fees over the next six years, but the fee structure also places a relatively greater burden on heavy water users — meaning water-saving machines have a greater opportunity to save money.
The expanded program is the result of a partnership between BWS and the Honolulu Department of Environmental Services, which will now provide half of the rebate funds.
“Sewer fees did just go up on Jan. 1 as part of a multi-year sewer fee … and we didn't want to have that happen without giving people information and concrete ways where they can save and use less water, and therefore save on your sewer bill and also on your water bill,” department Director Roger Babcock said.
BWS said it has issued about 22,800 rebates and $1.7 million to both residential and commercial water users.
About 13,500 of the rebates were for washing machines, and nearly 6,000 were for toilets. BWS said 1,500 rebates went to rain barrels.
Commercial rebates were mostly for plumbing upgrades, but were also issued for kitchen and landscaping upgrades.
Lau is calling on residents and businesses to double their participation in the rebate program.
