A complete retrofit of your bathroom fixtures will save you money

Here is a sampling of Questions & Answers you might have regarding retrofitting the bathrooms in your buildings

 

1. If we would like to save large amounts of water and money by retrofitting our obsolete fixtures but do not have funds available at this time, can AWMC help us accomplish our goal?
YES. AWMC will supply funding, enter into an owner self-financing agreement, and complete the retrofitting project for any qualified customer. The important concept to keep in mind is that the quicker the retrofit is completed, the quicker the savings begin. Wasted water and the monies used to pay for that water will never be recovered.

2. Do you expect Water and Sewer Rates to continue to rise in the near future?
YES. Under the current conditions existing in most parts of the U.S., rates will rise possibly as much as double digits for the foreseeable future. This increase could be higher for multi-family buildings.

3. Will high efficiency toilets using as little as 0.80 gallons per flush be able to eliminate all solid waste with one flush using so little water?
YES. With the new designs being used by today’s toilet manufacturers, less and less water is needed to totally eliminate solid waste. The MaP system of rating solid waste removal in toilets is a standardized series of tests created to measure toilet efficiency. The MaP scale ranges from 0 to 1000. In order to receive a WaterSense designation from the EPA, a toilet must not use more than 1.28 gallons per flush, the toilet must be made to not allow an adjustment in water usage, and the toilet must score 350 or more on the MaP scale.

4. With the reduced amounts of water being used by high efficiency toilets in multi-family buildings, are backups and sewer problems going to increase?
NO. If the building installing the high efficiency, water conserving toilets has well maintained, correct sized, and undamaged sewer lines (especially underground) to begin with, then the reduced water flowing through them should have no significant impact on solid waste removal. Water from shower heads and sink aerators is also used to move solid waste, and unlike commercial applications, these fixtures are near the sewer lines, making the distance that solid waste has to travel much shorter.

5. Since the water and sewer bills represent such a small percentage of the overall costs of operating an Apartment or Condominium building, can we really save much money in the total scheme of things by retrofitting the bathroom fixtures?
YES. The water and sewer bills seem have become the #1 cost in operating buildings. They are added up over a twelve month period they will more than likely be greater than either the once-a-year Insurance bill or Tax bill. And, when that high tax bill comes in, the first person you would go to see is the paid, professional tax advisor. We’re offering you the option of the same kind of expert advice with your high water bill.

6. Would I be better off by doing the bathroom retrofit in-house on a turnover basis rather than letting a professional retrofitting company come in and do the entire job in one quick attempt?
No.No.No. By doing the retrofit piecemeal, you lose large water and sewer savings over time, pay more for the fixtures by buying small quantities at a time and have the installation done inefficiently, therefore wasting time. The key to maximizing profits is TIME.

7. Are water and sewer rates high enough to justify the cost of a complete retrofit of bathroom fixtures in my buildings?
YES. The rates were already high enough four or five years ago to justify such an undertaking. Where else can you get a two year or less payback period on capital expended on apartment and condominium buildings improvement? And the rewards should just keep increasing over the years.

8. Can the retrofit program be implemented successfully by a building currently using 1.6 GPF (gallons per flush) toilets?

YES. With continually rising water and sewer rates, the payback period might be longer but it would still be less than 5 years. And, with not only continually rising water & sewer rates but also running toilets and water scarcity – NOW is definitely the time to retrofit!