APS Saves Water, Taxpayer Dollars Through District-wide Toilet Replacement

June 18, 2010

Albuquerque Public Schools and the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority have collaborated to install low-flow toilets at schools throughout the district, an effort expected to save more than $25,000 and 13.5 million gallons of water each year.

The project, started in June 2008 and completed this month, replaced 2,706 high-flow toilets with low-flow units at 109 schools across the district. At $125 per toilet, the program generated $338,250 in rebates and should save 13.5 gallons of water per year. The water savings reduces APS’ payments to the water authority by $25,323 annually.

While the ABCWUA’s conservation program typically provides water bill rebates to encourage Bernalillo County residents to retrofit their old fixtures with low-flow toilets, its unique agreement with APS appropriated the rebate through actual capital to offset the cost for retrofitting the toilets.

“It was a win-win-win proposition,” said Karen Alarid, executive director of capital for APS. “The school district significantly reduces its annual water budget, taxpayer dollars are saved and water authority ratepayers benefit by conserving water resources.”

The low-flow toilets were approved by the water authority as meeting or exceeding the standards and specifications for low-flow toilets eligible for water conservation rebates. “This has been a great partnership because not only have we saved millions of gallons of water each year, but we’ve educated the students at these schools about the need for conservation in our community,” said Katherine Yuhas, water conservation officer with ABCWUA.

“While APS is installing only low-flow toilets in all new schools and bathroom renovations, it’s in replacing the many more high water-use toilets in all existing district schools and facilities that will greatly reduce water use,” said Alarid.