Install a high-efficiency toilet (less than 1.28 gallons per flush)
Why This is Green
Toilets account for the largest percentage of water used in your home; nearly 30 percent of the H2O consumed indoors is for flushing. You will likely flush the toilet nearly 140,000 over your lifetime. It should come as no surprise that older, inefficient toilets are a major source of wasted water.
A high-efficiency toilet (HET) uses 1.28 gallons of water or less per flush, which is 20 percent less than federal regulations require now (1.6 gallons per flush). Replacing older toilets (which use 3.5 to as much as 7 gallons per flush!) with HETs can save 4,000 gallons of water per year. Good news: unlike older low-flow toilets, today's HETs don't sacrifice flushing power for water savings.
By using less water to flush, you put less strain on wastewater treatment facilities, save energy that is used to treat and deliver water, and lower your water bills. Drawing less water also leaves more water at the source, which helps protect wildlife, human health, and the environment.
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How To
When shopping for an HET, look for those that carry the U.S. EPA's WaterSense label, which means they meet rigorous performance and efficiency standards.
When installing a high-efficiency toilet, choose one that works with your existing toilet plumbing and space. Then shut off water to the toilet, disconnect the plumbing and bolts, and position and bolt down the new toilet.
If you have no interest in playing plumber, hire one to help select and install a HET toilet.
