Peoria Makes Changes to
Water Conservation Rebate Program
Peoria
,
Ariz.
, (
August 26, 2004
)
– The
Peoria
City Council approved recommended changes to
the City’s Water Conservation Rebate Program August 24 in response to the
program’s success and growing popularity. Since the implementation of the
program on
July 1, 2003
, an estimated 1.8 million gallons of water has
already been saved, and approximately $49,000 has been credited back to utility
customers through the rebate program.
The intent of the Water Conservation Rebate Program is to encourage a
permanent reduction in the amount of water used inside and outside of the home
by establishing a financial incentive to allow customers to qualify for a credit
on their utility bill. The changes to the Water Conservation Rebate Program will
assist
Peoria
utilities customers in saving water and money
by helping them use water more wisely.
One rebate City of
Peoria
water and/or sewer customers are eligible for
is a $100 credit for installing a hot water recirculator. In the past, this
rebate was only available to single-family homeowners and renters. Through the
recommended changes, this rebate is now available to City of
Peoria
water and/or sewer customers including single
and multi-family homeowners and renters, HOAs, commercial, and industrial
properties.
City
of
Peoria
water customers are eligible for another rebate
by converting their high-water use landscaping to low-water use (Xeriscape).
This includes single and multi-family homeowners and renters, HOAs, commercial,
and industrial properties. The minimum square footage required to be converted
to Xeriscape has been reduced from 1,500 to 500 square feet.
In
an attempt to discourage residents from converting to “zero-scape,” a
landscape with minimal or no plants, the City has implemented a two-tiered
system for determining the rebate amount. The system is based upon the size of
the converted area and the amount of low-water use plant material in the
landscape. If a customer replaces grass with at least 50 percent of low-water
use plants by area, instead of simply landscape rock, they will be eligible for
a rebate of up to $550. Replacements with less than 50 percent low-water use
plants will be eligible for a rebate of up to $190.
A
third rebate option is now available for installing an irrigation controller or
timer. All City of
Peoria
water customers are eligible for a maximum $30
rebate including single and multi-family homeowners and renters, HOAs,
commercial, and industrial properties.
The
controller, or timer, must be purchased on or after
July 1, 2003
and must possess minimum required features. The
rebate may not exceed the price of the controller or timer, and the applicant
must attend a free class or receive instruction from City staff on how to
properly operate the unit.
“We are excited about the new proposed changes since we believe they
will have a positive impact for our utility customers,” said City of
Peoria Water Resources Manager Bradley Hill
. “We wanted to expand the program to
strengthen
Peoria
’s water conservation efforts and provide an
opportunity for more of our customers to be eligible for a rebate on their
utility bill.”
For
more information about the Water Conservation Rebate Program, contact the City
of Peoria Utilities Department at
623-773-7286
or visit www.conserve.peoriaaz.gov.
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