Rebate offered for water-saving clothes washer

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Bill Donovan
Staff writer

GALLUP — City of Gallup residential water utility customers can now get a $100 rebate from the city if they purchase a high-efficiency clothes washer.

The Gallup City Council agreed Tuesday to add clothes washer to the list of items such as high efficiency toilets and shower heads that the city will provide a rebate for in order to cut down on energy usage and cut back on water usage.

Lance Allgood, the city’s utility director, said this is a pilot project to see how many Gallup residents will take advantage of the program between now and Dec. 30, 2010.

A total of $9,000 has been put in the program to pay for the rebates and if more people opt to buy from the list of approved washers in the next year exceeds that amount, the utilities department will be coming back to the council for more money.

“If it does well, we will extend the program,” he said.

He said that he didn’t think that the promise of a rebate would encourage residents to get rid of their current washer but it may encourage those thinking of getting a new one to think about energy conservation.

High-efficiency washers cost between $600 to a couple of thousand dollars and while they may cost more than the low-end models, city officials are hoping that the rebate and the savings over the long run in electric and water bills will convince some Gallup shoppers to at least look at the list of models that would provide them with a rebate.

“Conventional residential clothes washers use approximately 50 gallons of water while high efficiency washers or front-loading washers use as little as 16 gallons per load,” according to the program’s description.

It also pointed out that high efficiency washers use less detergent and may also result in less drying time.

Those models that qualify must have a Tier 3 rating. Not all high-efficiency washers have a Tier 3 rating so city officials are advising prospective buyers to check with city hall first to look at a list showing that more than 100 models that qualify for the rebate program.

The list is available at city hall and the utilities department. Allgood said there is no restrictions on where the product is purchased.

People who want to get a rebate must fill out an application and agree to allow city inspectors come to their home for a post-installation inspection. The program is not open to commercial Laundromats.

Copies of the application and more details about the program can be found at the city’s website: www.ci.gallup.nm.us or by calling the city’s water conservation office at 863-1393.