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Water-Efficient Toilets
LOW FLOW TOILETS The toilet is the single biggest water user in your home. Flushing accounts for about 38%, more than a third, of the water used within your home each day. Replacing an old model toilet with a new The Massachusetts State Plumbing Code requires that all new or replacement installations of two-piece tank-type and These toilets are called low-flow,
Toilets are by far the main source of water use in the home, accounting for nearly 30 percent of residential indoor water consumption. Toilets also happen to be a major source of wasted water due to leaks and/or inefficiency. WaterSense ®, a program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is helping consumers identify high performance, water-efficient toilets that can reduce water use in the home and help preserve the nation's water resources. MWRA is an EPA Watersense Partner. Recent advancements have allowed toilets to use 20 percent less water than the current federal standard, while still providing equal or superior performance. The WaterSense label is used on toilets that are certified by independent laboratory testing to meet rigorous criteria for both performance and efficiency. Only high-efficiency toilets that complete the third-party certification process can earn the WaterSense label. LOOK FOR THE WATERSENSE® LABEL Unlike some first-generation, "low-flow" toilets, WaterSense ® labeled toilets combine high efficiency with high performance. Design advances enable WaterSense labeled toilets to save water with no trade-off in flushing power. Whether remodeling a bathroom, starting construction of a new home, or simply replacing an old, leaky toilet that is wasting money and water, installing a WaterSense® labeled toilet is a high-performance, water-efficient option worth considering. If every American home with older, inefficient toilets replaced them with new WaterSense labeled toilets, we would save nearly 640 billion gallons of water per year, equal to more than two weeks of flow over Niagara Falls!
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) designs minimum performance tests and standards for low-flow toilets. Make sure you choose a model that meets these standards. Several excellent studies have been conducted. Here is a list of resources for more information.
WHICH TYPE OF TOILET IS RIGHT FOR YOU? Consider which of the residential low-flow toilet types is best for your home:
Updated October 8, 2008 |