Here’s an opportunity to double and even triple your rebate amounts! Combine this with the Federal stimulus-funded “Cash for Appliances” rebates coming out on April 22 (www.cash4appliances.org) and there are significant near-term financial savings available for Riverside residents for energy- and water-efficient upgrades. Take a look!
RPU customers win big with new ‘bundle’ rebate plan

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) customers can see as much as 350 percent more rebates if they will “bundle” with the new Whole House Rehabilitation Rebate Program.

Under this first-of-its-kind program, customers must install a minimum of two energy- or water-saving home improvement measures that offer RPU rebates — anything from solar panels to water-efficient toilets.  Each improvement is assigned points and the total determines which of four tiers the homeowner falls into. Those with 7 to 9 accumulated points will receive 150 percent of listed rebates; 10 to 14 points result in 250 percent; 15 to 29 points will get 300 percent of listed rebates; and those who accumulate 30 or more points will see 350 percent rebate.

As an example: Someone who accrues 10 points (250 percent bracket) and is normally entitled to $490 of rebates for home improvements will now get back $1,225.

“This is a case of the whole house being greater than the sum of its parts,” said RPU General Manager David Wright.  “The program is geared for people in the process of major home renovation and makes it economical to be energy and water efficient.  It’s the first of its kind in the nation.”

Funds are limited for the program and city officials urge residents to quickly take advantage of the opportunity.

“We hope customers will use this cost-effective opportunity to become as water and energy efficient as possible,” said City Councilmember Rusty Bailey, chair of the city’s Utility Services Land Use Energy Development Committee.  “This also means less government red tape for those of us who hate paperwork.”

The new Whole House Program allows participants to place all their program improvements in one rebate request instead of the usual one request per improvement.  With about 4,500 individual rebate requests processed annually, Bailey said, this process will save time for RPU and customers.

“If any of our customers are thinking of home improvements, now is the time they should do it,” Bailey said.

Most of the funds for the program will come from an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), offered by the Department of Energy.

Secretary of Energy Steven Chu singled out the City of Riverside for its progressive energy conservation practices with EECBG funds last week at a National League of Cities conference in Washington, D.C.

“EECBG is starting to have an impact,” said Secretary Chu.  “It’s through you that we’re helping put America back to work and helping save energy.”

Rebates cannot exceed the purchase price of the product or 50 percent of the project cost, whichever is greater.  Customers are limited to $7,000 of rebates in one year. Property owners need not live in the house to take advantage of the program.

For more information, call (951) 826-5485.