City of Atlanta

Department of Watershed Management

Press Release

August 9, 2011 — Installation of 18 low-flow toilets has paid big dividends for a local non-profit organization dedicated to helping homeless veterans find jobs and permanent housing. Frantz Fortune, Executive Director of Veterans Empowerment Organization of Georgia (VEO), says that the group’s water/sewer bills dropped by half, from $3,000 to $1,500, in the month after the toilets were installed. “That is $18,000 a year!” Fortune said. “At $300 per client per month, it’s enough to help us get 60 veterans off the streets for a month.” The Veterans Administration estimates that more than 300,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. It also says that one of every four homeless people in the U.S. has served in the military. Last year, VEO served 150 veterans, 47 of whom moved into permanent housing. The group also helped 62 veterans gain employment or receive their VA benefits. Toilets installed prior to 1993 use from 5-7 gallons of water per flush. EPA-designated WaterSense toilets use 1.28 gallons per flush. As part of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District’s Toilet Rebate Program, the City will provide a $100 credit per toilet on customers’ accounts for replacement of water-wasting toilets with WaterSense models (two toilets per household maximum). For more information on the rebate program, visit http://www.northgeorgiawater.com/html/315.htm or call 404-463-3256.

####

The Department of Watershed Management provides drinking water and wastewater collection and treatment services to more than 1 million people over a 650-square-mile area.

Press releases