Just as the cost of electricity and gas has increased over the years, most homeowners are now complaining that the cost of water is also becoming too expensive to afford. If you find that your monthly water bill keeps climbing and you want to do something about it, you should consider installing a low-flow toilet. This type of toilet looks and functions much the same way as a traditional toilet but due to innovative changes, the amount of water needed is far less, thereby making the toilet more energy efficient and your water bill being less.
Prior to 1950s, the average toilet used approximately 7 gallons at minimum every time flushed. Obviously, this mean a tremendous amount of water was being wasted so manufacturers introduced a newer toilet design in the 1960s that reduced water consumption to a little over 5 gallons. However, efforts to conserve water did not stop there. In fact, in the 1980s, water consumption for each flush was down to 3.5 gallons but today, low-flow units have dropped the numbers to just 1.6 gallons of water with each flush.
Because water was being wasted at such serious levels, the National Energy Policy Act was adopted in 1995 whereby all toilets in America had to flush at no more than 1.6 gallons. That meant that all new toilets being manufactured had to follow the federal government’s mandate. In initially, the way manufacturers accomplished this was by modifying the floats and valves, leaving the actual design of the bowl and tank alone. This involved a flush-valve flapper being installed so water was retained in the tank behind the dam so the volume of each flush was reduced. The other change was with a low-capacity tank, which was designed to use pressure for flushing.
While both of these changes seemed to help reduce the amount of water used for flushing while meeting the demands of the government, over a long period the changes began to fail so manufacturers realized that a better solution was needed. The result was the low-flow toilet being designed. While this new design was a vast improvement for reducing water consumption, it too was met with problems. In fact, manufacturers were not able to get the flush rate to less than 1.98 gallons, which was more than what the government mandated.
Today, the design of low-flow toilets is greatly improved. Known as “pressure assisted” toilets, not only where the ongoing problems of the earlier model resolved but also, the 1.6 gallons of water per flush was achieved. People who have purchased this new type of low-flow toilet thrilled with the way it looks and operates, they are even more excited when they receive the monthly water bill and the amount due has been dramatically reduced.
Although you would have an upfront investment when buying a “pressure assisted” toilet, considering that money spent is quickly recouped in monthly savings, it is an investment worth making. The low-flow toilet is just one example of how manufacturers are taking the problem of energy serious and working hard to offer consumer acceptable solutions. Along with a low-flow toilet, you could also install low-flow faucets in the bathroom and kitchen to enjoy an even greater reduction of water use and less money due each month to the water company.
