Are You Flushing Money Away?
Greentips: June 2011
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), toilets account for about 30 percent of the average home’s indoor water consumption each year—more than any other fixture. A leaky toilet can waste even more, and as freshwater supplies become more scarce in a warming world, everyone should save water whenever possible. With the following water-smart practices, you can do your part for Mother Nature whenever nature calls.
Replacing Water Wasters
Toilets manufactured before 1994 consume between 3.5 and 7 gallons per flush (gpf). That’s a lot of water compared with today’s “low-flow” toilets, which use no more than 1.6 gpf. By replacing older toilets, a four-person household could therefore save between 11,000 and 31,000 gallons of water annually.
High-efficiency toilets (HETs) bearing the WaterSense label save even more water—they are certified by the EPA to consume only 1.28 gpf—with no loss in flushing power. Common HET technologies include dual flush (which offers a 1.6-gallon flush for solid waste and a 0.8-gallon flush for liquid waste) and pressure assist (which uses pressurized air to enhance flushing power, allowing toilets to use less than 1 gpf). HETs cost more than standard toilets but can quickly pay for themselves through lower water costs; many municipalities also offer HET rebates.
Working with What You’ve Got
To reduce water use in older toilets:
Fix leaks. Tank-to-bowl leaks can waste 200 gallons of water daily. Unless you can hear the tank periodically refill by itself (an obvious sign of leakage), test for leakage by adding food coloring to the tank—if color seeps into the bowl without flushing, you need to replace a part or two.
Reduce your tank’s capacity. Insert a water- or gravel-filled container, or specially designed dam inside your tank to take up space and reduce the amount of water used per flush. (This should not be done in low-flow toilets because it can hamper flushing performance.)
Retrofit your equipment. A variety of kits are available to convert your toilet to a dual-flush model. See the Related Resources for more information.
Flush less. Forgoing a few flushes every day can translate into big water savings—regardless of your toilet’s water efficiency.
