The City of Castlegar has incorporated two rebate programs into this year's budget. Both are geared to helping the environment — one by using less water when you flush and the other by turning your food waste into compost.
The toilet rebate program is available when you replace a 13-litre or greater toilet with a 6-litre or less low-flush toilet. This can save more than 70 litres of water every day per family member and modern water conservation plumbing regulations require that all new homes install low-flush toilets.
The rebate is applicable to installations in single and multi-family homes constructed prior to 2010. There is a maximum of two rebates per dwelling per year. The rebate comes in the form of a credit to your water utility bill, $75 for installing a 6-litre toilet and $100 for installing a 4.8-litre toilet. The program is funded to a maximum $5000 and applications are evaluated on a first-come, first-serve basis.
To qualify, toilets must be new, SCA or Warnock Hersey certified and purchased locally. They may be installed by the resident or a licensed plumber.
Applications can be found at City Hall or at castlegar.ca. To apply, take a photograph of the old toilet in place and a photograph of the newly installed toilet in place. The resident submitting the rebate application should be in both photographs. Submit your completed application form including photos and receipt copy to: Civic Works Department, City of Castlegar, 460 Columbia Ave., Castlegar, BC V1N 1G7.
The back yard composter rebate program operates in a similar fashion. The rebate applies to new composters purchased locally and set up between April 20, 2016 and December 31, 2016. The $25 rebate will be applied to your garbage utility invoice.
"The composter program is modelled very closely to the toilet rebate program, because the toilet rebate program has been very successful and the uptake on it has been great," explained Chris Barlow, civic works director. "We were looking for ways to create incentives for people to compost. We looked at several options, but this one ensures that the resident gets the composter they want."
There is a limit of one rebate per dwelling and the program is funded to a maximum of $5000. To apply, take a photograph of the new backyard composter in place and submit your completed application form including photo and purchase receipt to the address above.
More information on both programs can be found at castlegar.ca or by visiting City Hall.