Did you know that this year we will be spending roughly a third of our operating budget on shared water expenses alone? This amount is up from 25% in recent years. While part of the increase can be attributed to rising water costs, a significant amount is a direct result of aging or faulty plumbing fixtures. A single leaky toilet can cost thousands of dollars in unnecessary water charges annually. For this reason, based on high water usage statistics and costs, the board will be conducting a targeted inspection of a number of units to identify damaged or faulty toilets. Potentially affected owners will be contacted with inspection dates in the near future. If a toilet is found to be leaking, the homeowner will be given 30 days to have the fixture repaired or replaced. Failure to address the problem will result in the condominium corporation undertaking necessary work and billing the homeowner for any costs incurred.
In addition, the board is introducing an exciting new initiative with the goal of saving all of us money in the long term. We have decided to offer all owners up to $105 per residential unit to promote the replacement of older high water usage toilets with new high-efficiency toilets. To qualify, all you need to do is provide proof of purchase and proof of installation to our property manager, Nikki Monette, who will submit it to the board for review, approval and reimbursement. The board is offering $35 rebate per new high efficiency toilet installed, to a maximum of three toilets per unit. This benefit will be retroactive as far back as January 1, 2018 if you can provide the required information, and it will be in force until November 1, 2019. We strongly encourage unit owners to participate.