Have a free of charge drain water heat recovery system installed and save With the installation of a drain water heat recovery system you could save up to 40 % on your costs for water heating.

The Energy Efficiency Fund's financial assistance¹

The EEF'S program covers the costs of the purchase and installation of the drain water heat recovery system. The costs associated with the demolition and reconstruction of partitions where the drain is not accessible are at the participant's expense.

Are you eligible for this program?

To be eligible for this program, you must meet the following criteria:

• you must own a single family home, a duplex or triplex with a natural gas hot water heater supplied by Gaz Métro;
• the total income of all the occupants in the home must not exceed the eligible income thresholds.
  Consult the eligible income thresholds table 2011-2012, taking into account the number of occupants in the home.
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  INCOME THRESHOLD TABLE¹ 2011-2012

  Number of occupants	Total income
  1 person	$22 637
  2 persons	$28 182
  3 persons	$34 646
  4 persons	$42 065
  5 persons	$47 710
  6 persons	$53 808
  7 or more persons	$59 907

  
  
  

  1	These thresholds are the same as those of the Agence de l'efficacité énergétique's program.

How it works Water from showers contains a significant amount of energy that goes directly down the drain. Installing a drain water heat recovery system means you can recycle some of that energy. Wastewater from the shower flows down the inner wall of the copper pipe and preheats the fresh water from the water supply system which is simultaneously ascending through the coiled copper tubes. The preheated fresh water will therefore be warmer when it enters the water heater, and subsequently when it is sent to the shower.

How the drain water heat recovery system works

Advantages

• The water heater uses less energy for heating water to the desired temperature;
• The water heater supplies hot water longer;
• The system requires no maintenance and has a service life of 30-50 years.

Savings

The greater the simultaneous use of hot water, the greater the savings. Consult the energy savings simulation tool to calculate the potential savings.

Examples of annual savings

Number of showers/day	Average duration of shower	Annual savings
4	8 minutes	$134
6	9 minutes	$227
8	10 minutes	$337

* Example for a mixed connection with a standard water heater in Montréal.
The unit is the same in the three examples and the price of the natural gas is $0.59/m³

Steps to follow:

	Send us: the Drain Water Heat Recovery System Form (PDF | 735 ko).
	A representative of the EEF will communicate with you to verify your admissibility;
	A plumbing contractor will contact you to make an appointment, in order to evaluate the project.

1	Program subject to change without prior notice.
2	In some cases, the installation of a drain water heat recovery unit could result in a loss of water pressure. Consult a professional for more information.