Okotoks residents can save money by saving water again in 2016 as the Town of Okotoks is offering its water conservation program for a fourth year.
“The big item is toilets, WaterSense certified toilets,” said interim environment and sustainability coordinator Stefan Martensson. “Then there is organic and inorganic mulch, rain barrels and rain sensors, drought-tolerant ground cover.”
Most items will see a return of 50 per cent, up to $200. There is a $100 maximum rebate for toilets and a $50 max for rain barrels. Residents can submit applications on eligible items beginning May 1 to receive rebates.
The Town has budgeted $50,000 for the rebate program for 2016, the same amount as last year. About $4,000 went unclaimed in 2015.
There has been nothing new added to the list of eligible items this year, he said, though some items have been removed as they become common, such as on-demand hot water recirculation systems. The Town had added the systems to the rebate list in 2015, he said, because it has become a standard practice and only three of 466 applications received last year were for the on-demand system.
Humidifiers also will not be included in the rebate program for 2016, he said.
“To have a humidifier working in southern Alberta, you have to have a water softener,” said Martensson. “We don’t pay for water softener systems, so it seemed as though we were providing incentives for things that were not working properly or efficiently.”
The most popular item on the list every year is mulch, he said, which accounted for nearly 200 applications in 2015.
It makes an effective ground cover for gardens in our climate, he said, retaining water for plants and reducing the amount of watering residents have to do in their yards.
To further reduce water use, he said, residents should think ahead when planning garden and find plants that will be drought-tolerant and hardy in the Foothills climate.
“There are some really pretty native plants that don’t use up as much water,” said Martensson. “If those are planted and then surrounded by mulch, you’re guaranteed to save more water and still have a nice looking landscape.”
The water conservation rebate program officially launches on May 1, but residents can apply retroactively for items purchased between January and April, he said.
For more information on the rebate program or for a list of recommended plants, visit www.okotoks.ca.
