NEWS & UPDATES
For Immediate Release
April 19, 2024
Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Waikīkī Projects
$17,000 in Savings With Water-Efficient Toilets
HONOLULU — Encouraging O‘ahu residents and businesses to conserve water has always been a top priority for the Board of Water Supply (BWS), and this has been even more critical since the Red Hill water contamination crisis began in November 2021.
The BWS has challenged hotels and other large water users to reduce their water use and save money—to support their own bottom line and for the good of the community. The Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Waikīkī, a 198-room hotel, took the BWS challenge to heart and started switching to water-efficient toilets in June 2023. China Airlines acquired the 17-story hotel at 1830 Ala Moana Blvd. in 1979. 
According to Gina Lu, Ramada Plaza’s Accounting Manager, changing out more than 200 toilets was a half-year endeavor with no major disruption to guests.
The hotel facilities crew replaced older, inefficient toilets that used up to 3.5 gallons of water per flush (gpf) with 1.28 gpf WaterSense-labeled toilets. The toilet changeout has saved an average of 5,000 gallons per day, or about 150,000 gallons per month, over the same period a year ago.
“The BWS team, with support from Honeywell, is glad to be partnering with the Ramada Plaza’s Chief Engineer Benny Corpuz and his crew to help them save water and money,” said Ernie Lau, BWS’s Manager and Chief Engineer. “We hope this encourages other hotels and high water users to follow their inspiring example and realize savings at their properties.”
The Ramada Plaza’s switch to WaterSense toilets could not have been done at a better time. On top of the immediate projected $17,000 water and sewer cost savings in the first year—the BWS also gave the Ramada Plaza a $45 rebate for each toilet that resulted in more than $8,500 in additional savings. The new toilets cost about $120 each, for a total of $23,000, and with the rebate, the hotel will pay off its investment in about 10 months.
In addition, the Ramada Plaza also installed high-efficiency showerheads and faucets in the bathrooms of their hotel guest rooms. These high-efficiency fixtures typically last for decades and the savings will add up over time, making these capital improvements prudent investments. The positive results have encouraged the Ramada Plaza team to look at additional ways to save more water and money.
For a limited time, hotel, commercial, and residential properties can take advantage of the $100 BWS toilet rebate. If interested in learning how to save water and/or requesting a water audit, email the Board of Water Supply at contactus@hbws.org or call (808) 748-5368.
Contact:
Kathleen Pahinui
Information Officer
Honolulu Board of Water Supply
Phone: (808) 748-5319