The Los Trancos Water County Water District sponsored rebates are available and are mostly in addition to rebates that are available from other agencies.

Rebates are available for the installation of:

• Low water use toilets - $200 per toilet
• Low water use shower heads -  $25 per shower head
• Low water use washing machines - $300 per clothes washer or dishwasher - see NEW REBATES ... below for details
• Smart Irrigation controllers that calculate irrigation times based on local weather conditions - up to $1200 depending on the size of the system retrofitted

See the LTCWD Rebate Summary for a more detailed summary of the rebates available and rebate application forms.

A special comment about toilets.

Toilets that use 1.6 gallons per flush are known in the industry as ULFT or Ultra Low Flush Toilets. This level of water use has been the industry standard since 1991. The next generation of toilets that use 1.28 gallons per flush or are 1.6/0.6 dual flush models are known in the industry as HET or High Efficiency Toilets.

Until recently, almost all HET products were pressure assisted models that, while they worked well, were rather noisy. Most major manufacturers have now introduced gravity flush HET models that are rated highly in the standardized testing procedures that rank toilets on their ability to flush solids. HET products represent an additional 20% water savings over the ULFT's and use only 1/3 the amount of water used by older 3.5 gpf toilets. Toilets consume about 30% of water used inside our homes (typically about 9 units per month).

It looks like it's time to give the HET products serious consideration.

To find more information on the US EPA tested and approved 1.28 gpf toilets visit http://www.epa.gov/watersense/

NEW REBATES ON CLOTHES WASHERS AND DISHWASHERS EFFECTIVE AUGUST 12, 2008

Read about new rebates from PG&E, Cal Water, and LTCWD on certain clothes washers and dishwashers. Following are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers about these rebates.

Q. How do I get the LTCWD rebate for these products?
A.  The Clothes Washer Rebate Details and the Dishwasher Rebate Details describe the requirements of the LTCWD rebate program for clothes washers and dishwashers and, on the 2nd page of each, there is a copy of the rebate request form.

Q. What model products are covered by the Brand Source, Cal Water, PG&E, and LTCWD rebates?
A. To receive all 4 rebates any GE, Whirlpool, or Maytag clothes washer or dishwasher that meets the requirements set forth in the files attached to this e-mail will qualify. Products from other manufacturers will not qualify for the Brandsource  www.brandsource.com rebate but will qualify for the other 3 rebates if they meet the LTCWD criteria.

Q. Can I shop on-line and still get the rebates?
A. Yes for sure with regards to the rebates from PG&E, Cal Water, and the LTCWD. We're still awaiting an answer from BrandSource. You can shop on-line from Brandsource but it's not clear how this may affect the available BrandSource rebate. It's even less clear what the impact would be if the product was purchased from another on-line dealer. You can try calling BrandSource at (800) 430-0282.

Q. Where should I go to find a knowledgeable sales staff that can help me get a product that qualifies for the rebates and knows about the rebates?
A. So far, from a sample of 3 of the 6 retailers recommended below, Atherton Appliance on Veterans Blvd. in Redwood City seems to have had the most knowledgeable staff who were aware of the BrandSource/PG&E mailer, knew what model appliances qualified, and had staff who are specifically tasked with being up to speed on the available rebates. (Note: Do not expect retailers to know about the LTCWD rebate. The District simply does not have the staffing that would be necessary to communicate our rebate plan to all of the local appliance dealers.) Suggestion: Go to one of the dealers listed below and tell them that "you received a BrandSource mailer offering a $75 rebate from Brandsource and $75 from PG&E for the purchase of certain GE, Whilrpool, and Maytage Clothes Washers and Dishwashers. If you get a blank stare or they don't know of what you speak, try another dealer!!

We hope this information will help those who want to take of advantage of this short term opportunity. We'll send out more information as we receive it.

Stan Gage & Mike Ward