Toilet Rebate and Direct Installation Programs: Best Practices and Lessons Learned

WaterNow partnered with the City of Charlottesville to review and analyze the current state of the City’sWaterSense Labeled Toilet Rebate Program, determining improvement options for the program, and creating a deployment or implementation plan for these updated program elements. As part of this work, WaterNow conducted research to identify best practices in creating toilet rebate and direct installation programs, focusing on: the eligibility criteria related to the age and water use of eligible toilets; approaches for engaging commercial, industrial, and institutional customers; and examples of effective outreach and messaging. The project team assessed a total of 111 communities for the presence or absence of toilet rebate programs, and reviewed 40 existing programs in greater detail, conducting informational interviews with three of these programs. This memo shares key findings from how these programs were developed and implemented, highlighting best practices and lessons learned in their implementation.