WATER SENSIBLE PROGRAM
Commercial Rebates
Phone: (808) 237-6877 | Email: watersensible@boardofwatersupply.com
The Board of Water Supply has doubled select rebates in the commercial kitchen and plumbing sectors to help Oʻahu commercial customers save money while protecting our island’s precious wai (water).
Learn More:
Cooling Tower | Landscaping | Kitchen | Plumbing | How to Redeem
Commercial Cooling Tower
Cooling Tower Equipment
Conductivity Controller: NOW $2,000
Flow Meter: NOW $2,000
Overflow Alarm: NOW $1,000
Rebate amounts cannot exceed the purchase price of the product.
More Information
A water-cooled cooling tower is a type of heat exchanger that uses water to expel building heat into the atmosphere. The cooling towers’ role is to receive warm water from the chiller and cool it down so it can return to the chiller to pick up more heat. Cooling towers lose water via evaporation and blowdown. Blowdown occurs when water is dumped out of the cooling tower basin to prevent scaling.
Operators can save up to 584,000 gallons of water, and $5000 in water and sewer costs per year by purchasing and installing a conductivity controller, overflow alarm, and flow meter on their cooling tower.
Equipment Rebates (Cooling Tower):
- Conductivity controllers are a technology that receives water quality data from sensors and are programmed to automatically control cooling tower operation. New, efficient equipment allows the cooling tower system to be recalibrated and reduce blowdown frequency. You will begin to see significant water savings and improved cooling tower system performance upon installation of the rebated devices.
- Rebate Amount: The cost of the controller and install up to NOW $2,000.
- Any conductivity controller must be installed to automate blowdown based on conductivity.
Flow Meter:
- Flow meters measure the amount of water flowing through a pipe. This provides benchmarking of water usage and measurement of water savings (or waste) over time.
- Rebate Amount: The cost of the flow meter and install up to NOW $2,000.
- Flow meter must be on this approved list:
- Sensus USA: SR, SRII, Omni R2, Omni T2
- Neptune: T-10
- Badger Meter: LP, 25, 35, 55, 70, 120, 170
- Master Meter: Multi-jet
- Flow meter must be on this approved list:
Overflow Alarm:
- Overflow Alarms alert the building facility manager and/or vendor that the cooling tower is overflowing water, allowing a quick response to fix the issue and prevent additional loss of water.
- Rebate Amount: The cost of the overflow alarm and install up to NOW $1,000.
- Must alert the operations manager, building maintenance or vendor when there is an overflow so they can troubleshoot. (Alert options include audible alarm, flashing light, or cell phone alert).
Cooling Equipment Eligibility Criteria
| Equipment | Rebate Amount | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Conductivity Controller | Up to $2,000 | Any conductivity controller must be installed to automate blowdown based on conductivity. |
| Flow Meter | Up to $2,000 | Flow meter must be on this approved list:
|
| Overflow Alarm | Up to $1,000 | Must alert the operations manager, building maintenance, or vendor when there is an overflow so they can troubleshoot. (Alert options include audible alarm, flashing light, or cell phone alert.) |
*Calculations based on 200-ton tower that increases cycles of concentration by installing new conductivity controller. Savings will vary based on system size and preventative maintenance triggered by overflow alarm and data collected from flow meter.
Commercial Kitchen
High Efficiency Pre-Rinse Spray Valve & Aerator
Spray Valve Rebate: NOW $100
Rebate amounts cannot exceed the purchase price of the product.
More Information
High Efficiency Pre-rinse spray valves can save up to 9,800 gallons/yr, and up to $80 in annual water bill savings. Qualifying High Efficiency pre-rinse spray valves must have a maximum flow rate of 1.28gpm.
Available At:
- Mid City Restaurant Supply
- Bargreen Ellingson
Dipper Well (Scoop Shower, Utensil Holder)
Rebate: NOW $300
Rebate amounts cannot exceed the purchase price of the product.
More Information
Dipper wells are a common technology used to clean serving utensils, such as ice cream scoops and mashed potato or butter scoops, with a continuous flow of either hot or cold water.
Conventional Dipper Wells can use over 200,000 gallons/yr in commercial food service operations. A Water Efficient Dipper Well uses less than 1,000 gallons/yr, saving more than $1,000/year in water bills!
Available At:
- Bargreen Ellingson
ENERGY STAR® Commercial Dishwasher
Rebate: NOW $500
Rebate amounts cannot exceed the purchase price of the product.
More Information
Commercial dishwashers are common in most establishments that use non-disposable dishes, glassware, and utensils, such as restaurants, bars, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, churches, and institutional cafeterias. Commercial dishwashers can clean and sanitize a large quantity of kitchenware in a short amount of time by utilizing hot water, soap, rinse chemicals, and significant amounts of energy and water.
With as much as ten less gallons used per wash at high usage rates, ENERGY STAR® commercial dishwashers can save up to 37,000 gallons of water per year. ENERGY STAR® certified commercial dishwashers can save: about 50 percent more water than standard models, and an average of $1,500 annually and more than $19,000 on utility bills over the product’s lifetime when compared to standard models
Available At:
- Mid City Restaurant Supply
- Bargreen Ellingson
ENERGY STAR® Batch Type Air Cooled Ice Machine
Rebate: NOW $200
Rebate amounts cannot exceed the purchase price of the product.
More Information
Automatic commercial ice makers are common in a variety of commercial and industrial facilities for both food and patient care applications. Commercial ice makers can be classified into either of two general equipment types, batch-type (also called cube-type) and continuous-type.
Batch-type ice makers can save water by harvesting ice with alternating freezing cycles. ENERGY STAR® batch type ice machines can save: 20 percent more water when compared with standard models, and $75 annually and $660 over the product’s lifetime on utility bills
Available At:
- Mid City Restaurant Supply
- Bargreen Ellingson
- Western Pacific Distributors
Commercial Landscaping
EPA WaterSense® WBIC with Sensor
WBIC Rebate: $100
Rebate with Sensor: Up to $35
Rebate amounts cannot exceed the purchase price of the product.
More Information
Weather-Based Irrigation Controllers (WBIC) automatically adjust watering schedules based on local weather conditions. These smart controllers automatically adjust the irrigation schedule to deliver only enough water to meet the plant’s needs.
Soil Moisture Sensors detect moisture in the ground beneath the landscape and override scheduled irrigation when plants do not need watering. This reduces water waste and overwatering. By adding a Soil Moisture Sensor, you can enhance the performance of your WBIC. WBICs with soil moisture sensors can save over $150 in annual water bill savings.
Available At:
- The Urban Farmer Store
- Pacific Pipe
- Diamond Head Sprinkler
- Lowes
- Home Depot
Rain Barrel / Tote
Rebate: $150
Rebate amounts cannot exceed the purchase price of the product.
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Large barrels and totes can range in size from 100 to 450 gallons. These provide commercial customers such as farms, schools, and businesses with an economical and convenient strategy to reduce outdoor water use.
Depending on size, rain barrels can offset well over $100 in annual water bill savings.
Available At:
- The Urban Farmer Store
Commercial Plumbing
EPA WaterSense® Toilet
Rebate: NOW $200
Rebate amounts cannot exceed the purchase price of the product.
More Information
Commercial toilets, or flushometer-valve toilets, consists of main components, the toilet bowl and the flushometer valve. Generally, these fixtures are in commercial, institutional, or industrial restrooms like airports, theaters, stadiums, schools, and office buildings.
Approximately 1.2 million gallons of water can be saved by replacing old, inefficient flushometer-valve toilets with WaterSense® labeled models in average ten-story office building.
Available At:
- Lowes
- Home Depot
- The Bathroom Store
- T.Oki Trading
- Ferguson
EPA WaterSense® Urinal
Rebate: NOW $100
Rebate amounts cannot exceed the purchase price of the product.
More Information
The commercial urinal rebate reach may be limited due to the Hawai’i State Plumbing Code, which requires 1.0 gallons per flush (GPF). However, according to the State Building Code Council, the code “sets forth minimum requirements for the design, installation, alteration, repair, and construction of plumbing and drainage systems, and shall apply to all new construction, relocation, alteration, repair or reconstruction.” The rebate will provide an incentive for commercial properties who do not fall within those parameters. Furthermore, the code requirement of 1.0 GPF is 50% higher than the EPA WaterSense® requirement of .5 GPF, allowing for additional water conservation in properties currently meeting code requirements.
Per EPA WaterSense®, an average office building could reduce its water use by as much as 26,000 gallons per year by installing EPA WaterSense® urinals while replacing older, inefficient urinals. Some older urinals use as much as five gallons per flush, five times the current federal standard. 36 billion gallons of water could be saved every year, nationwide by replacing inefficient urinals.
Available At:
- Ferguson
ENERGY STAR® Commercial Clothes Washer
Rebate: NOW $150
Rebate amounts cannot exceed the purchase price of the product.
More Information
ENERGY STAR® Commercial Clothes Washers can save more than 7,000 gallons/yr compared to conventional commercial models. Front and top loading models with capacities > 1.6 cu ft are qualified for rebates.
ENERGY STAR® Commercial Clothes Washers are about 25% more efficient and use about 45% less water than standard models.
Available At:
- Lowes
- Home Depot
- Best Buy
- Pacific Appliance Group
Submeter
Rebate: NOW $300
Rebate amounts cannot exceed the purchase price of the product.
More Information
Submeters allow you to track water usage for each unit which provides insight into your properties water usage. This can be useful for identifying leaks and tracking water conservation efforts. Properties that install submeters typically see a reduction in water usage of 15% or more.
Rebates for multifamily residential submeters are available for purchases on or after November 1, 2023. Any readings or data from this device shall not be valid for purposes of seeking an adjustment to, or otherwise disputing, the Board of Water Supply (BWS) bill, and shall not be used to replace data from the BWS meter for the property. This device is intended only to encourage and incentivize water conservation practices. See Rebate Form for specific product eligibility, disclaimer, and pre-approval requirements.
Available At:
- Ferguson
- Pacific Pipe
- Online (Any Retailer)
Disclaimer: This disclaimer pertains to Submeter applications for rebates issued by the Honolulu Board of Water Supply (BWS). Applicants that purchase and install this device understand that the rebate is based on the expected water savings as a part of an ongoing water conservation program. Any readings or data from the Submeter shall not be valid for purposes of seeking an adjustment to, or otherwise disputing, the BWS bill, and shall not be used to replace data from the BWS meter for the property. These devices are intended only to encourage and incentivize water conservation practices.
How to Redeem
Download Commercial Rebate Forms (including Terms and Conditions)
- Commercial Cooling Tower Rebate Form
- Commercial Rebate (Toilet) Form
- Commercial Rebate (All Other Products) Form
Submit Completed Rebate Application
- By Email:
Fill out the form for the specific product AND and email it and the sales receipt to watersensible@boardofwatersupply.com - By Mail:
Fill out the form for the specific product and print. Mail the completed form AND the sales receipt to:
Board of Water Supply Water Sensible Rebate Program
P.O. Box 1440
Honolulu HI 96806
Learn more about EPA WaterSense
Updated: 01/06/2026