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By Chandra Johnson

It’s clear to successful property owners and facility managers that managing a resource-efficient property is essential to reducing operating costs, and chief among resource costs in San Francisco is water and wastewater. Today, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is helping to minimize the expense and take the guesswork out of developing water conservation strategies by providing technical support and information on how to improve water-use efficiency and reduce waste, as well as financial incentives for fixture upgrades.

Proper building maintenance is a key element of any efficiency program and sustainable property management. The SFPUC offers assistance in understanding and improving your building’s water use. The “Water-Wise House Call” program provides technicians, free of charge, to check properties for plumbing leaks; determine flow rates of toilets and other plumbing fixtures; identify inefficiencies; provide free high-efficiency showerheads, faucet aerators and other devices; and even inspect landscape irrigation scheduling and maintenance of equipment. The technician will provide recommendations on how to improve water-use efficiency and minimize water losses due to leaks—benefiting the city’s water system and reducing your operating costs.

Once a property is assessed and opportunities for reducing waste and improving efficiency are identified, the SFPUC will work with you to offset the initial investment in water-efficient technologies with cash rebates for the purchase of “water-smart” appliances. Over the last few years, the SFPUC has significantly expanded its program, introducing its highest cash rebate to date of up to $400 per fixture, and has developed a new approach with tiered rebates for toilets and clothes washers, giving customers greater flexibility in the models they choose to purchase.

Efficient Fixtures
Replacing inefficient fixtures is the most reliable method to reduce water use. Toilets, followed by clothes washers, use the greatest volume of water in the home. Recent studies have shown that replacing a single older model toilet with a current model can result in a savings of up to 19,000 gallons per year.

It has been more than a decade since federal laws mandated that the toilet flush volume for models sold in the United States not exceed 1.6 gallons per flush. These models are called ultra-low flush toilets, and they are the highest flow models available on the market today. Prior to this standard, toilets flushed at 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush. The most efficient current technology is the high-efficiency toilet (HET), which is fairly new to the American market but very common in Europe and Australia. At between 1 and 1.28 gallons per flush, the HET flushes at least 20% below the standard model. The SFPUC currently provides a rebate of $125 for the purchase of HET models.

The Unites States Department of Housing and Urban Development, in a national study of laundry water use in apartment buildings, found that tenants with in-unit clothes washers use 3.3 times more water for laundry than residents with access to common-area laundry facilities. When equipped with water-efficient washers, these common-area facilities demonstrate what HUD describes as “a clear opportunity for conservation.” Most full-sized water-smart clothes washers use 18-25 gallons of water per load, compared to the 40 gallons used by a standard machine.

Not only do the new water-efficient clothes washers provide a 40% savings in water and wastewater, but since most people run their washers with warm or hot water, energy savings average about 40% as well. By purchasing an Energy Star®-qualified clothes washer that conserves energy and water, SFPUC rebates can be combined with energy efficiency rebates offered by Pacific Gas & Electric Company for additional savings. The SFPUC currently offers rebates of up to $400 for multifamily common-area clothes washers. These rebates, combined with savings on water and energy bills, make for a very attractive payback period for efficient washers.

Only SFPUC Water Conservation Program-approved toilets and clothes washing machines qualify for rebates. To obtain a list of qualifying models please visit  www.sfwater.org or call 415-551-3000.

The Proof Is in the Numbers
Many multifamily property owners are taking advantage of SFPUC water-conservation programs with impressive savings results. This spring, Luciana Gallina, owner of three multifamily properties in San Francisco, scheduled a Water-Wise House Call for her 36 rental units at 1455 Filbert St. During the evaluation, SFPUC technicians identified a number of efficiency improvements.

Built in 1960, 1455 Filbert St. had not replaced the building’s 3.5-to-5.0 gallon per flush toilets for more efficient models, a common problem for buildings of this age in San Francisco. In addition to recommending replacement of the older toilet models, SFPUC technicians provided Gallina with free low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators to completely maximize water efficiency in the building’s bathrooms.

In May, Gallina purchased 36 new dual-flush high-efficiency toilets, qualifying her for a SFPUC rebate of $125 each. The new toilets combined with the free conservation fixtures provided by the SFPUC and a pressure-reducing valve installed on the property’s main water line (consult your plumber; properties with a PSI greater than 80 can achieve significant savings from pressure reduction) resulted in an average 57% reduction in water usage in the six months following the plumbing improvements.

“Everyone has to conserve water. Tenants have responded well to the plumbing improvements and respect my choice to conserve at my properties. The disruption from the toilet installation was minimal and they are very happy with the new models,” says Gallina. “I plan to make similar improvements and take advantage of SFPUC rebates in my other San Francisco properties.”

Take the First Step
Water and energy prices are on the rise, but well-informed property managers are keeping prices low by taking advantage of SFPUC water-efficiency audits and generous rebates and giveaways. Upgrades to your building’s plumbing system make sense for long-term utility savings, add to your property value and your tenants will enjoy the performance of improved state-of-the-art systems.

Take the first step to water savings for your multifamily property. Contact the SFPUC for a free Water-Wise House Call. Implementing SFPUC water-wise recommendations will help you become more efficient, benefiting the environment and saving you money.

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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of SFAA or SF Apartment Magazine. Chandra Johnson works for the Communications Office of the SFPUC. For more information or to schedule your appointment for a free Water-Wise House Call, contact 415-551-4730. Copyright © 2007 by SF Apartment Magazine. All rights reserved.