Installing a
water-saving toilet
FPO
This article sponsored by WaterRidge.®
WaterRidge is an exclusive brand of Costco
and is manufactured by Globe Union. Globe
Union is a world-class designer and manufacturer of toilets, faucets, fixtures and
accessories for the kitchen and bath industry.
Founded in 1979, Globe Union has grown
to become North America’s largest import
supplier of quality faucets and plumbing
accessories. The company has earned this
position by consistently manufacturing
high-quality products and providing excellent customer service, all while maintaining
a commitment to the highest operational
and environmental standards.
YOU MIGHT NOT REALIZE IT, but the biggest water user in the home is the
toilet. Research finds that the average household uses 185 to 291 gallons of
water per day, with 60 percent of a family’s water bill going down the drain in
the toilet and shower, 20 percent in the laundry and the remaining 20 percent
in the kitchen.
Older toilets are particularly big water guzzlers, using 3 or more gallons
per flush (gpf)—or more than 20 gallons per person per day. New toilets can
reduce that consumption significantly. Replacing an older 3. 5 gpf toilet from
the 1980s with a 1. 6 gpf toilet could save more than 2 gallons per flush, for a
total household savings of 12,000 gallons of water per year.
Even more water savings can be earned by installing the new dual-flush
toilets. Dual-flush technology features two buttons: one for liquid waste, which
uses a partial flush (0.8 gallon) and the other for solid waste, using a full flush
( 1. 6 gallons). In most cases the partial flush is sufficient for all waste. Depending on the number of users in a home, a dual-flush toilet can save thousands
of gallons of water while reducing the load on sewers and septic systems.
Installing a new water-saving toilet isn’t very difficult for do-it-yourselfers.
You’ll need a putty knife, a small wrench, a socket set, a flat-head screwdriver
and a level. Having a scraper and a few old towels at the ready is a good idea.
See the directions on the opposite page.
By the way, some municipalities offer rebates of up to $50 for purchasing
a qualifying water-saving toilet. Toilets listed under “MaP” and “HET” are typically eligible. Check your local government for details. A
THIS&THAT
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
While most toilets appear much the
same on the outside, their water
consumption can vary greatly, as can
their effect on your water bill. Before
the 1950s toilets used a whopping 7
gallons per flush (gpf). By the 1960s
toilets flushed with 5. 5 gallons, and by
the 1980s it was down to 3. 5 gpf. Due
in large part to the water conservation
movement and the National Energy
Policy Act, by 1994 toilets could not
exceed 1. 6 gallons per flush.
Despite the new regulations, it’s estimated there are more than 100 million
outdated toilets still in use in the United
States alone, consuming 3. 5 to 7 gallons
of water each time they are flushed. It all
adds up to a lot of wasted water.
1950: 7 gpf
1960: 5. 5 gpf
1980: 3. 5 gpf
