Toilets
The toilet is the biggest water user in your home, using five to seven gallons of water, on the average, with each flush. It is also one of the most common, unnoticed locations of water leakage. If your toilet leaks, you can easily lose thousands of gallons a day, undetected. There are, however, ways to reduce use-and-waste and thereby cut your water costs. Toilets made before 1993 use from 3.5 gallons per flush (gpf) up to 8 gpf, while new high efficiency toilets are mandated to use 1.6 gpf or less.
Displacement Devices
The most common method for enhancing conservation is by the use of displacement devices. They fit easily inside your toilet tank and reduce the volume of water used in each flush. Most of the devices are inexpensive and will save you money.
NOTE: Whichever device you select, make sure that it does not displace so much water that two flushes are required to clear your bowl. If so, you will be using nearly double the amount of water. Also, do not put displacement devices in low-water using toilets. Effective in January, 1993, state law required the installation of toilets that used only one and one-half gallons when flushed.
Toilet Dams
To install a toilet dam, flex or bend the dam and insert it into the tank as shown. The dam should fit tightly against the tank and sides and bottom, and should curve outwards away from the plumbing fixtures in the tank. Most tanks work best when a single dam is used.
Displacement Bags
The bag should be filled with water, securely sealed at the top, and then hung in the tank. Make sure bag does not interfere with the operation of the toilet tank.
Plastic Bottles
Plastic bottles, milk or chlorine jugs can be filled with water and weighted down with a few stones and placed in the most open portion of the tank. This will save as much water as is displaced by the bottle. Make sure the bottle does not interfere with the operation of the moving parts in the tank.
All displacement devices should be checked periodically to insure that they remain in place.
NOTE: Do not use bricks as a displacement device. They will erode and the particles can clog your drainage system.
Clothes Washer
Traditional clothes washers use approximately 41 gallons per load (gpl), while high efficiency machines use only 23 gpl.
Why bother with Conservation?
Because it benefits you. Water is a limited, natural resource, consequently, you are helping to preserve an adequate supply for the future.
Secondly, you save money. Wise use of water and prompt repairing of leaks avoids unnecessary expense.