Pitkin Toilet Retrofit Final Report

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. 2 ' The AS~n riines'; TU/!sdiiy, January 3, J995 New. toilet program flush with funds' "We're just trying to address this one toilet, one showerhead at a time." . By Cameron M. Burns Aspen Times Staff Writer Steve Slandiford, who holds somelhing of a seat of honor in conservation circles as direelor of the Roaring Fork Energy Center in Carbondale, has the poop on how locals can increase water efficiency: Get rid of their old toilets. And luekily, Standiford's nonprofit organization - dedieated to eulting resource use through energy efficiency - reeently won a slale grant that has allowed him to start something of a retrofitting movement in the valley this winter. Before it's over, Standiford hopes to bave replaced some 500 regular loilels - wbieb use about 5 gallons per flush - with modern, water-effieient toilels Ihat use about balf that. He also hopes to replaee several hun- jlred ineffieie,nt sbow~rhe.ads and install faucet aerators. The Energy Cenler's program will be funded by a $20,000 grant from the Colorado offiee of water con- servation. The granl was applied for by Pitkin County, a member of tbe Roaring Fork Forum of governments. The Energy Center will not be installing the fixtures, however, nor even paying for the entire cost of the fixtures. According to Standiford, the $20,000 grant will be used 10 buy Ihe high-qualily, Kohler loilels, Spa 2001 showerheads and Nia- gra aerators at wholesale rates, so they ean be resold to interested members of Ihe public living anywhere belween Aspen and Baulemenl Mesa at Ihesame wbo1esale rate. . . Lasl year, when Ibe center eonducled 0 similar, but smaller, version of the pro- - Steve Standiford, Roaring Fork Energy Center gram, the eenler hired a plumber on slaff to do Ihe work. Standiford said tbat approaeb created a raft of problems, and eenter offieials Ibis year sbied away from hiring a plumber full lime. Standiford said by ebarging wholesale prices, the center will be able to slreleh the program into more homes, spreading the awareness of water conservation to more local residents. While cutting water use is the center's bottom line, promoting awareness of water consumption is the center's No.2 job. Energy Cenler offieials had expeeled a greater demand from local residents for showerhead and faucet 3crators, but there has been an overwhelming call for eom- modes. "We set it up so we hod higher goals for showerheads, thinking that people wouldn't want the extra cost of toilets, but we gol Ihree times as many requesls for . See Toilets on page J.3 .