MNN - Mother Nature Network

Here’s one smart site Kohler’s put together: Visit SaveWaterAmerica.com to quickly find out how much water you can save by upgrading your toilet AND how to get money from your city for making the upgrade — while getting Kohler to donate a buck to Habitat for Humanity.

 

All you have to do is take a three-question quiz about your toilet, for which Kohler will send $1 to Habitat for Humanity (The company’s pledged up to $1 million). In addition to the donation, SaveWaterAmerica.com’s quiz calculates how much water — and money — you can save by replacing an old toilet with a water-wise version.

 

So before taking the quiz, you’ll want to know when your toilet was made, or how much water it uses right now. You can find this out by lifting the lid to your toilet tank; the make, model and year should be imprinted on the inside of the back wall. My toilet, which happens to be a Kohler, had this imprint: UPC S6, K4512-24, 3 22 91. A quick Internet search for K4512 let me know I had a 1.6 gallon version.

 

For those convinced to eco-upgrade, SaveWaterAmerica.com’s neatly compiled toilet Rebate Map! Click on your state to find out what financial incentives your city offers.

 

 

I searched for Santa Monica, where I live — and clicking on the link took me straight to my city’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment page. There, I learned that Santa Monica residents can get up to a $300 rebate for installing a high-efficiency toilet!

 

Since my toilet’s still considered fairly efficient, the most I could get — or more accurately, the most my landlord could get — is $80. Still, $80 could be a nice bonus for going eco on a toilet you were planning to upgrade anyway. How much can you get from your city?