Lara and I are the proud owners of six toilets at our four properties – one at our personal residence and five at three rental properties. That’s a troublesome amount of flushes every day for which we’re directly and indirectly responsible. Why worry? Because a 1999 study by the American Water Works Association found that the toilet can account for nearly 27% of indoor water usage, and that figure may even exceed 40% if the toilet leaks.
With evermore frequent stories about the water woes in our state of Colorado, and the U.S. EPA indicating that 35 other states expect to experience local, regional, or statewide water shortages in 5 years or less, it has become clear that we (and you?) are long overdue for a comprehensive toilet water consumption study and reduction plan (sounds like an EPA report title itself).
We know from intimate experience that the “necessary” fixture in our personal residence is not a water-efficient toilet. In fact, we currently employ a method of toilet water conservation true to our cabin-country septic system Minnesota roots that would even make Garrison Keillor proud: the proverbial “…if it’s yellow, let it mellow…”
I know, TMI.
Our recollection of the toilet situation at the rental properties is not so intimate, and actually a bit sketchy. We are pretty sure that we replaced the four original toilets at both two-bathroom rental properties four or five years ago with more efficient 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) models. And we hope that we’ve done the same at our one-bathroom rental, but honestly can’t recall for sure. Time and busyness have clouded our memory.
So we’ve contacted all of our tenants and tomorrow evening we’ll make the rounds, with measuring equipment and food coloring in hand, to do a toilet consumption and leak test inventory. They’ll think we’re odd of course, but since they are responsible for paying the utilities, they’ll find our oddness in their interest, if not endearing.
We’ll report back shortly with measurement methods, THE DATA, water consumption reduction options, and calculated water savings and return-on-investment scenarios, so stay tuned for the next installment of this case study.
Until then, flush softly and carry a big plunger…
