Choose the Best Low Flow Toilet
January/February 2007
Steve Maxwell
 |
MATTHEW STALLBAUMER
|
Did you know if every home replaced their old toilet with a new
high efficiency toilet, more than 900 billion gallons of water
would be saved each year? That's enough to supply almost 10 million
households, per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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If the toilets in your home are from the mid-1990s or earlier, then
consider installing new ones to save big on your water bills. All
new models are 'low-flow' toilets ? by law they can use no more
than 1.6 gallons of water per flush. Prior to 1994, most toilets on
the market used at least 3.5 gallons, or about 20 gallons of water
per person per day ? the most water used by any household
appliance.
But while some low-flow models work well, others do not. That's
because to comply with the federal regulations on toilets' water
use, some manufacturers initially reduced the volume of water that
discharges from the tank, without also making the necessary design
adjustments. New designs have improved the performance of many
models, but some still do not flush thoroughly.
Finding a low-flow, gravity-flush or pressure-assist toilet that
performs well is now easier than ever, thanks to Veritec
Consulting, which publishes
toilet performance results several times a
year in a report that has become the industry standard for
rating toilets. See
Half the Water, Twice the Flush in the Aug/Sept 2006 issue of
Mother Earth News for Veritec's toilet performance
ratings.
If you're looking for more information on upgrading toilets read
Green Remodeling, a
Mother Earth News Wiser Living Book.
Highly recommended by the editors of
Mother Earth News,
'Green Remodeling' is a comprehensive guide for green renovation
solutions. For more details, see below.
We'd also love to hear what you've done or are planning to do to
lower your water consumption. Please share your comments and ideas.