City offers rebates for toilets, rain barrels

By Lethbridge Herald on April 23, 2025.

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Lethbridge Herald

The City of Lethbridge is asking residents once again to help conserve water this year, and they are offering some incentives in hopes to persuade them to do so.

The city is offering a rebate the 2025 Environmental Incentive Program, and Mark Svenson, Environmental Manager, told media Tuesday that the program is now accepting applications.

The program offers rebates for purchasing rain barrels and replacing old, inefficient toilets with new low-flow toilets. The initiative is part of the Water Conservation Plan and Strategy, approved by City Council in April 2024.

“We heard loud and clear from the public last year that they want programs like incentives for rain barrels, and low flow toilets to allow them to help conserve water,” said Svenson.

He explained that the program aims to decrease the amount of water that is used and helping the public become water conscious.

“They (rain barrels and low-flow toilets) can make a substantial difference as long as they are used,” said Svenson. “We don’t know the exact amount, and I don’t have an amount that I expect to see decrease.”

He added that the more those two items are used, the easier it will be for residents to become water conscious, and it will become second nature to conserve water.

“You can put a rain barrel in the backyard, and it will fill up a little bit, but it’s best if it is attached to your eavestroughs,” said Svenson.
People can use rain barrels for a multitude of purposes, including watering their garden or indoor plants.

“Something we are trying to do is to take that long-term approach and get small wins over time, that can add up substantially,” said Svenson.

He explained that even though the water levels at the reservoirs the city relies on for water are better than last year, they are still not up to an optimal level. That’s why thee city is asking residents to help conserve water.

“The snowpack that fills those reservoirs is less than normal, actually less than last year at this time, so with that in mind we will be asking the public to again be conscious of their water usage and voluntarily reduce their usage this year,” said Svenson.

He added that residents need to be aware that, while we have received some moisture in the last few days, the forecast says this spring and summer are going to be dry.

“So, we want to make sure that the public is aware of that and plan accordingly. So, investing in rain barrels and low-flow toilets, is something you can do now that will have lasting effects overtime,” said Svenson.

The program runs from April 22 through Dec. 31, or until funding runs out. $50,000 has been set aside for the program and each household can get up to two rebates for low-flow toilets and two for rain barrels.

For both items, the rebate covers 50 per cent of the cost, up to $100 each. Any City of Lethbridge resident with a residential water utility account is eligible. Rebate amounts will be applied directly to that account.

“We are hoping that there is good uptake and participation, and we do exhaust the funds available this year. We are hoping to make this an annual thing,” said Svenson.

All applications are subject to approval and require specific supporting documents.

Low-flow toilet:
• A photo of your old toilet (bonus if it shows litres or gallons per flush).
• A receipt for the new toilet, purchased in Canada during the program term.
• A photo of the new toilet with LPF/GPF rating or WaterSense label clearly visible.
• A photo of the new toilet installed.
Rain barrel:
• A receipt showing it was purchased in Canada during the program term.
• A photo of the new rain barrel.

Complete terms and conditions, eligibility requirements and FAQs are available online at http://www.lethbridge.ca/environmentalincentive.
Applications that are incomplete, unclear or missing documents will be disqualified and must be resubmitted before the program deadline.