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The EPA declares that an estimated 4.8 billion gallons of water are flushed down the toilet every day. According to the American Water Works Association, the average household uses 20-28 gallons per day just to flush the toilet. The Energy Policy Act of 1992 took a step in reducing water waste by mandating that all new toilets produced for residential conform to a 1.6 gallon-per-flush (gpf) standard, moving away from conventional 3.5 - 5 gpf models.
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Low-flush toilets are required in new construction and encouraged in remodels, with many municipalities offering incentives and rebates to increase water conservation.
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To encourage homeowners to replace conventional toilets with low-flush models, some states and municipalities offer tax incentives, rebates, and vouchers. San Diego's Water Conservation Program offers vouchers for commercial and residential replacement of 3.5 gpf or higher toilets with water-conserving models. Residents can save as much as $165 by using a voucher when replacing an old water-hogging toilet with a water-conscious version. A $165 voucher used on a $250 water-efficient toilet can mean payback in as little as two years, depending on the region. A homeowner should check into local or state incentives for toilet replacement.
Improved Performance
The first low-flush (1.6 gpf) models had trouble clearing the bowl, often requiring more than one flush, which defeats the purpose of a low-flush toilet. To counter these complaints, ultra-low-flush toilets (ULFT's) soon appeared on the market with improved flushing-mechanisms and design improvements. Modified tanks, elongated bowls, and increased flushing velocity ensured improved performance using less water. "It was essentially a change in bowl shape, water flow, and trap design," says Kohler's Senior Staff Engineer of Water Conservation Initiatives Rob Zimmerman.
Like conventional toilets, ULFT's come in gravity-fed and pressurized versions. Pressurized models are criticized for excessive flushing noise, prompting industry manufacturers to take notice. "Our Highline Pressure Lite model is a pressurized toilet that uses 1.1 gallons per flush," says Zimmerman. "Improvements in the hydraulic system have resulted in a quieter flush. It's still louder than a gravity-fed toilet, but it doesn't sound like an airplane taking off."
High-Efficinecy and Dual-Flush Options
The toilet industry's leaders in water conservation are the high efficiency toilets (HET) and dual-flush toilets. The industry defines an HET as a toilet that uses 20 percent less than the 1.6 gpf low-flush or ultra-low-flush models, or 1.28 gallons of water per flush. With the introduction of HET's, some municipal and community water-saving incentive programs have updated their incentive offers. In San Diego, an HET replacement can be worth up to $165 per toilet, while a 1.6 gpf ULFT earns $75 per fixture. HETs are one of the highlighted categories under the EPA's new WaterSense program, which approves, promotes, and labels water-efficient products just as the Energy Star program certifies energy-efficient products.
Dual-flush toilets are technically high-efficiency models that save water by offering two separate flushing modes—one for solid waste, and one for liquid. The liquid half-flush option uses just 0 .8 – 1.1 gallons of water per flush. The Australian company Caroma, considered an industry leader in the manufacturing of dual-flush toilets, first introduced their models in the 1980's. Australia confronts its water shortfalls by mandating the use of dual-flush toilets nationwide.
In the U.S., California may mandate the use of HETs in all new construction, a move that reflects the state's concern over water conservation. "We expect that at some point HETs will become the norm, and we are developing products that offer consumers a wide range of options within the water-efficient categories," says Zimmerman. Programs like the EPA's WaterSense and water conservation bills like those in California raise the bar for water-saving toilets, so consumers can expect more models and water-saving technologies in the future.
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Text by Benjamin Hardy
© 2006 Bob Vila
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