Old Habits of Water Conservation

If you’re into water conservation, you’ve probably heard the eco-ditty: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.” It refers, of course, to toilet flushing habits. The idea is that less flushing conserves more water. While an admirable sentiment, the practice can be startling to unprepared  homeowners or their visitors. The solution is to have yourlocal plumbing professional install dual-flush toilets. Dual-flush toilets let you save water without offending your grandmother’s sensibilities when she raises the toilet lid.

New Water Conservation Habits

Newer, water-efficient toilets use 1.6 gallons of water per flush. Older toilets, however, use 4 to 6 gallons of water per flush. Dual-flush toilets are designed to use less water to flush waste. First developed in Australia in 1980, dual-flush toilets are just beginning to become popular with mainstream America. States where drought conditions are common were among the first to embrace and promote their use. Dual-flush toilets use a half flush for liquid waste and a full flush for solid waste, chopping water use in half. Users choose the amount of water to be used by pushing the toilet handle one way for a half flush or in the other direction for a full flush.

Results of Poor Water Conservation

By 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 36 states will be fighting serious water shortages brought on by drought, inefficient water management, increased consumer demand and aging water system infrastructures. The Southwest and portions of California have been struggling with water shortages and been forced to impose strict water rationing for years.

Current News On Water Conservation

Dual-flush toilets are now a standard feature in green building designs. When the U.S. National Park Service constructed a new visitors’ center at Denali National Park in Alaska, dual-flush toilets were installed in all the restrooms.

Conserve Water And Save Money

Installing dual-flush toilets decreases your water use (good for the environment) while decreasing your water and sewer bills (good for your bank account). Definitely a win-win choice!

Tags: save money, water conservation, water efficient, water efficient toilet

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 27th, 2010 at 7:50 pm under Plumbing Tips. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.