To help maintain a reliable water supply for the future, the SF Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) offers a variety of free water-saving assistance, rebates and incentives.

San Francisco residents and businesses can sign up for a free indoor/outdoor “water-wise evaluation” to help identify leaks and inefficient fixtures, and where free showerheads, faucet aerators and toilet leak repair parts are provided.

Technicians will review the billing history of a property, discuss water reduction goals and provide a detailed report of the findings.

If a toilet was installed before 1994, it could be eligible for a free replacement, with installation included through the SFPUC’s Plumbing Fixture Replacement Program (a.k.a. PREP). To qualify, an existing toilet must use at least 3.5 gallons per flush and have no unusual plumbing or site conditions.

The SFPUC has already installed about 1,400 toilets and urinals through PREP, representing an approximate water savings of 5.1 million gallons per year.

For an average single-family home, toilets can represent 25 percent of indoor water use. So, a typical residence could potentially save more than 5,000 gallons of water per year by replacing inefficient fixtures.

To find out more about the SFPUC services, rebates and incentives that are available to city residents, visit the SFPUC’s website at http://www.sfwater.org/conservation.