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Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services
This time he chatted up Mayor Gord Van Tighem, Coun. Robert Hawkins and several representatives of city administration. He also spoke with NWT special advisor on energy Dennis Bevington, the NWT Housing Corp. and a number of private developers.
So far, his trips have paid off in sales of about 350 Aussie toilets in the North.
"The people are taking the toilet," he said.
Now he's looking for partnerships with the city of Yellowknife and the GNWT to sell even more.
"Niven Lake would be an ideal place to start," said Suche while meeting with the mayor. He said he could cut the city a deal on the toilets if it pushed their use in new homes in Yellowknife.
The toilets retail for about $300. But, said Bevington, the savings can be significant. Using 1997 figures, he said the average cost of water in the NWT is $49 per 1,000 litres. Assuming a family of four flushing 12 times a day, he calculated a savings of about $100 a month.
In Yellowknife, the costs are much lower. The fee per 4,500 litres is $11.92. Assuming the same family scenario, the savings in town would be about $8 per month.
"So then you're challenged with: if it's a really, really, really good idea, it would almost be worth going after the territorial government," said Van Tighem.
Bevington said funds are not available "at this time. But certainly when you look at it, it may have some merit in the future."
He is in the midst of a two-year planning process to devise an energy strategy for the NWT. He is looking at things like alternative energy and energy efficiency across the North.
Toilets that can save water could fit under that plan.
The city is currently writing the manual for its own community energy committee. The Aussie toilets are expected to be one of the items the committee will look at.
