Water Conservation Offers and Rebates

Since LOTT began offering Water Conservation Programs in 1997, wastewater flows have gone down significantly. On behalf of the LOTT Alliance and the Cities of Lacey, Olympia, and Tumwater, thank you for supporting LOTT's water conservation programs and for helping our community address our wastewater treatment and water supply challenges. If you have any questions about a specific offer, please contact our office at (360) 664-2333.

Residential Toilet Program

To encourage water conservation, LOTT is offering residential sewer customers free high-efficiency toilets to replace older, water-wasting fixtures. High-efficiency toilets (HETs) use an average of 20% less water than standard 1.6 gallon per flush toilets. Through this program, LOTT is offering three different toilet technologies – customers choose the one that will best meet their needs.

To be eligible, customers must install the toilet(s) in a residence that receives LOTT sewer service from the City of Lacey, City of Olympia, or City of Tumwater; replace an existing toilet(s) that use 3.0 gallons or more per flush; complete the application, including the attached toilet measurement form; attach a copy of your City utility bill showing your account number; and return it to the LOTT Alliance. Please allow 30 days for application processing. Once the application has been approved, LOTT will send you a voucher(s) for the toilets requested. Toilets must be picked up at the location specified on the voucher within 30 days of date on the voucher. This program is subject to available funds; program ends when funds are expended, or by December 31, 2009.

Commercial Toilet Program

LOTT is offering free high-efficiency toilets and installation to eligible commercial sewer customers. This is a great way to save water and potentially save money on your utility bills. Eligible customers can choose between three different tank-style toilets and one flushometer toilet – whichever best meets their needs. To apply for this program, contact your utility representative:

      Lacey (360) 438-2687   •   Olympia (360) 753-8271   •   Tumwater (360) 754-4140

Your utility representative or the program plumbing contractor will visit your site to confirm eligibility. The plumbing contractor will then place the order and arrange a date for installation. On average, it takes 30 days from application to installation. This program is subject to available funds. Program ends when funds are expended, or by December 31, 2009. For more information about this program, please contact Lisa Dennis-Perez at (360) 528-5719.

Free Water Saving Kits

The cities of Lacey, Olympia, and Tumwater distribute free Water Saving Kits to sewer customers. Kits provided by LOTT include showerheads, kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators, leak detection dye tablets, and installation instructions.

WashWise Residential Washing Machine Rebates

Residential sewer customers are eligible for $100 rebates on resource-efficient washing machines, most of which are front-loading models. The purchase and installation of a WashWise resource-efficient washing machine can save the average household up to 8,000 gallons of water per year.

LOTT"s list of qualifying washing machines is compiled by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE). CEE is a nonprofit public benefits corporation, which promotes the manufacture and purchase of resource-efficient products through incentive and promotional programs.

Composting Toilet Rebates

Composting toilets use the natural processes of decomposition and evaporation to dispose of human wastes, rather than requiring the use of water to flush them away. In a composting toilet system, the water content is evaporated and carried back to the atmosphere through a vent system. The remaining waste material is recycled into a soil amendment using the decomposing action of certain microbes, or the power of electricity. Composting toilets do not require the use of potable water to transport toilet waste and thus, wastewater is not created. LOTT offers rebates of up to $350 to sewer customers who install one of the composting toilet models approved by the Washington State Department of Health.

WaterSmart Technology Rebates

The WaterSmart Technology program offers rebates to industrial, commercial, and institutional customers who install water-saving technologies. LOTT also offers rebates on commercial coin-operated washing machines in laundromats and multi-family laundry rooms. WaterSmart Technology Rebates can equal up to 75 percent of installed project costs.

Toilet Exchange Project: Flapper Valve Replacements

Between 1997 and 2000, the cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater, supported by funding from LOTT, distributed over 12,000 free water efficient toilets to sewer customers. Based on evaluations conducted by a private firm, this project is reducing wastewater flows by over 220,000 gallons each day and saving over 87 million gallons of water each year. To ensure these savings continue, LOTT and the Cities have taken action to prevent toilet leaks that can be caused by aging flapper valves. Free flapper valves are offered to customers that received the free toilets.

Partner Programs

Lacey's Water Conservation Program – Water is a precious resource. Here in the Pacific Northwest we often feel like we have plenty...but that's not always the case. The Lacey Water Utility's production level nearly triples – to 15.4 million gallons per day – during hot weather, primarily because of residential lawn watering and other outdoor activities. The water utility encourages all customers to adopt "water wise" habits; please browse this section for a number of conservation tips and information on Lacey's new "Odd/Even" outdoor watering schedule.

Olympia's Water Conservation Program – The Olympia Water Conservation Program helps ensure that a sustainable, high-quality water supply will be available for Olympia residents in the near and distant future, and helps protect local freshwater habitats and the fish and wildlife that depend on them. While the City's water system is built to provide water during the summer's time of high demand, the Treatment Plant is built to treat wastewater flows which are higher in winter. To address potential capacity issues, Olympia offers several indoor water conservation projects to it's sewer customers.

Tumwater's Water Conservation Program – Fresh water supplies are often limited, whether by water rights, stream flows, or a system's capacity to supply and treat water. As the population continues to grow, demand for water stresses the already limited water supplies. It is in the best interest of water utilities and it's customers to engage in and promote water conservation, so that the resources continue to be available for future generations of Tumwater citizens and business, as well as ensuring that there is enough water available for wildlife and the habitat that support them.