When it comes to the sustainability of local water resources, conservation is a key part of the puzzle.
This is something the Nye County Water District knows full well. As the governing entity charged with the protection and preservation of waters throughout Nye County, the water district strives to promote water conservation and its latest move in that direction has resulted in the brand new Toilet Rebate Program.
Launched this week, the Toilet Rebate Program was a project pushed forward by Nye County Water District Governing Board Chair Helene Williams.
“This is part of a conservation program, step one of probably many,” Williams explained during the board’s November 2023 meeting. “It’s replacing inefficient toilets for ‘water-sense’ models. Let’s save the water together… Every drop counts.”
Williams took the lead on creating the program, providing a detailed outline of the terms and eligibility requirements.
“The application is really quite thorough,” she remarked, “So that we have the proof in the pudding.”
Both a receipt for the purchase of a new water-efficient toilet and verification of installation, such as before and after photos or a plumber’s invoice, will be required before any rebate is issued. The rebate covers up to $50 per 1.28 gallon-per-flush toilet or up to $100 per 1.1-gallon-flush toilet. Dual-flush toilets are not eligible.
The program also includes a rebate for a toilet component that regularly leaks, the flapper. The replacement rebate for a flapper kit is up to $20. To help residents determine whether their flapper is faulty, the water district also provides leak-detection tablets in-office at no charge to the public.
“A leaking toilet flapper can waste hundreds of gallons a day and a new, more efficient toilet can reduce bathroom water use by as much as half,” information on the water district website reads.
The toilet and flapper rebate program is open to all Nye County property owners, both residential and commercial. Only a single one-time rebate will be issued per property. Taxes and installation fees are not included in the rebate amount, nor are parts and supplies required for installation.
The water district has earmarked $10,000 for the toilet rebates and allocated an additional $1,000 for the flapper kit rebates. The program is set to be replenished back to these amounts on an annual basis. As it progresses, the water district will be able to track the data and estimate the number of gallons of water saved through the program over time.
Rebate applications can be found online at NyeCountyWaterDistrict.net by clicking “Rebate Programs”. The application is available as an editable PDF under the “Toilet Rebate Form 1001” link.
For more information contact the water district at 775-727-3487.
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com