More El Pasoans open to water-saving measures

Cindy Ramirez-Cadena
El Paso Times
Monday, August 27, 2001

Thousands of El Pasoans are picking up air conditioner restrictor clamps and low-flow shower heads, and hundreds are inquiring about and applying for turf-replacement rebates, water officials said.

"We've had a good response, and we hope they've helped reduce water use," El Paso Water Utilities spokeswoman Karol Parker said.

Water use so far this year was at nearly 26 billion gallons, a 4.3 percent decrease over the same period last year, Parker said.

The El Paso Water Utilities and the Public Service Board that oversees it will evaluate the success of the water conservation programs. The board adopts a budget in December for the next fiscal year, which starts March 1.

The utility has distributed about 180,000 low-flow shower heads and 20,000 air conditioner bleeder clamps. The clamps restrict wasted water discharged from evaporative air units. Both the shower heads and the clamps are still available.

Two other rebate programs were recently expanded. Nearly 300 of the 500 available refrigerated air conditioner rebates have been used, as have about 250 of the 500 front-loading washing machine rebates.

The utility will also review its turf-replacement rebate pilot program, which began March 15. The program gives rebates of 50 cents per square foot to customers who replace existing turf with approved xeriscaping.

About 100 customers have replaced some 186,000 square feet of turf so far.

David Guerra, a salesman with the 20-year-old Desertland Nursery and Pottery Center on Gateway East, said he's seen a clear increase of interest in desert plants, especially since the water utility rebates began.

"When we started it was primarily for collectors, for people into exotic plants," Guerra said of his cacti and shrubs. "Now we do a lot more landscapes."

The utility still has rebates available for low-flow toilets and most of its other rebate programs. Some restrictions apply, so Parker suggests customers call for more information.

Cindy Ramirez-Cadena may be reached at cramirez@elpasotimes.com Louie Gilot contributed to this report. For more information: El Paso Water Utilities, http://www.epwu.org/rebate.html; or the conservation department at 594-5508.