There’s a reason why Europeans call them water closets. According to the California Urban Water Conservation Council: “From our tubs to our toilets, approximately 69% of water consumption of home takes place in the bathroom.”
Problem #1: your wasteful toilet
Topping 27% of your household water use every year, toilets are the largest water consumers in your home. At that rate you want to be sure that only 1.6 gpf (gallon per flush) in your loo is used but it may use more. Newer 1.6 gallon per flush toilets use 1.98 gallon per flush, because of the double flushing function, according to the 2000 study commissioned by the EPA.
The early close flappers devices which used to prevent a 3.5 gallon tank from discharging more than 1.6 gallons are being replaced with 3.5 gpf flappers. Removable toilet dams were broken and internationally removed, in order to prevent a 3.5 gallon tank from discharging more than 1.6 gallons.
If you live in an older home, unfortunately there is no easy way of finding out whether the previous home owner upgraded to a 1.6 gallon per flush model. The parts generally last for five years so you’ll need to ask at the hardware store for 1.6 gpf replacements. Don’t forget to be aware of toilet tank installation and kits designed to convert old 3.5 gpf models into 1.6 gpf toilets. Since you’re trying to get the toilet to do something that it isn’t really designed for, it’s really best to get a low-flow toilet.
Low flow toilets
Newer low-flow models are becoming more prevalent and WaterSense label which are provided by the Environmental Protection Agency make them easier to identify at the store. To earn a WaterSense label, toilets must be tested separately to see that they flush 358 grams with 1.28 gpf. 1.6 and 8 gpf toilets are dual flush toilets that have a reduced flush mode for liquids and full flush mode for solids.
If you are very concerned about water, and aren’t afraid of making an investment, you can save money in the long term by using composting toilets. These toilets break the human waste into rich nutrients which can be spread around the plants and trees. The price of non electric composting toilet is about $1,400.
Wasteful showers
While toilets are problem #1, showers are also big water wasters. Some high flow multi-head shower systems pour out an enormous 89 gallons of water per minute. Michael Dietemann, the water conservation lead for Seattle Public Utilities, says: “What used to be exclusive to really super-high-end homes is now becoming more commonplace.” Home builders and designers are really exacerbating this problem. According to a recent survey by American Institute of Architects, 60% of residential architects demanded for these high flow shower systems.
There are many low-flow systems installed in homes these days which pump only 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm). The problem is, many consumers remove the water-restrictor discs, which results in water flow of around 5 gpm.
To measure the water consumption of your showerhead, pour 2.5 gallons into a bucket and mark the water level. Then, take a stopwatch and fill the bucket for a minute in your shower. If your shower head sprays more than 2.5 gpm, get a new one.
Faucets
Faucets must use 2.2 gpm or less, according to government standards. You can also increase taps efficiency with 1.5 gom aerator. They are available at any hardware store.
Retaining Water
If you have settled everything down by making waste consumption to nearly zero and are still finding ways to save more. Following are the tips and aquatic marvels:
SinkPositive: You can get only for $99 and more. It is designed for washing hands only. Every time when you flush the toilet, water comes out of faucet and drains into the tank.
WaterSaver: If you order online, it will cost $295 + shipping. This system of 5.5 gallon tank stores all the water which is used in bathroom sink and then it feeds it into toilet’s tank.
