By 10 a.m., 350 toilets had been given out, said Armando Torres, water conservation and water quality specialist. For the past four years, the toilets have gone quickly, he said. Torres said all 500 toilets were gone at the end of the exchange last year.

Folks didn't have to bring their toilets Saturday; all they had to provide was a copy of a recent water bill and a photo ID. Proof of residence within the city limits is essential. Many people have been turned away because they lived outside the service area in Valle Vista or Riverside County.

Old toilets will have to be brought to the city Corporation Yard from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 15. Torres said the reason for the delay in exchanging toilets was that it made the lines at the exchange go faster and gave people time to ready their bathrooms.

The lines moved quickly, sometimes taking no more than five minutes to do paperwork and have someone put the toilet in the trunk or back seat. Cindy Chen was surprised how quick it was to get a toilet for her household of six.

But the most important thing about the exchange is to get the idea of conserving water into people's minds, , Torres said as he hoisted a bag of other water-saving items such as shower heads that use only 2 gallons per minute.

The new white toilets, manufactured by Niagara Conservation, come with a five-year guarantee on parts from the manufacturer. A check on the company's Web site shows the flapperless toilets are priced at $165.

The old toilets will be broken apart and recycled, with the metals, porcelain and other substances separated. What may have been an old toilet may become part of new pavement, Torres said.

Reach D.S. Perez at (909) 763-3468 or at dperez@pe.com