The average U.S. home sees peak water consumption during the summer, as Americans turn on the taps and spigots more frequently to do things like water their lawns and flower beds and fill their swimming pools.
Since summer is also the time when droughts peak and municipalities nationwide impose water restrictions, you’ll want to watch your water use. Our latest reports on toilets and showerheads (available to subscribers) can help you find products that not only are water misers but also work well and look sharp. The map shows the latest U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook from the National Weather Service.
A Environmental Protection Agency-commissioned study by Aquacraft, a water-engineering-and- management firm, showed that toilet flushing accounted for almost 30 percent of water use in a typical home. Toilets installed before 1995 are water hogs, using 3.5 gallons or more per flush. But installing a 1.28-gpf toilet that meets the EPA’s WaterSense program’s limit would save you more than 4,000 gallons of water per year.
The savings were even greater when Aquacraft installed a mix of 1.1-gpf pressure-assisted and 1.6-gpf flapperless toilets in 96 homes in San Francisco, Seattle, and Tampa. Each home saved an average of 7,000 gallons per year. The flapperless toilets were also found to cut down on leaks from poorly seated flapper valves that had been wasting considerable amounts of water.
However, not all new commodes should be treated as high-performing commodities. Our latest tests revealed that not all toilets could flush with success in every situation. We did find a 1.28-gpf standout performer from Kohler and a good 1.1-gpf model from Gerber. But several pricier models required an extra flush, negating any water savings.
Showers represent 17 percent of U.S. household water use, and our latest tests of showerheads showed a performance breakdown similar to that for toilets. Eight of the 18 tested models use less than the federal maximum flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute, but only one model was judged by the panel to produce an invigorating spray. That’s an important point, as a weak stream might result in people taking longer showers.
The Aquacraft study showed that retrofitting homes with 1.75-gpm or handheld 2.5-gpm devices with shutoff buttons led to a 28 percent reduction in water use.
Taking shorter showers instead of baths will cut both water and energy costs. And while you’re showering, keep an eye on the bathtub faucet. “If you pull the lever on the bathtub faucet to start the spray from the shower and the valve doesn’t close all the way, you’ll lose water out the bathtub faucet while you’re showering,” says Bill DeOreo, president of Aquacraft.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook
Essential information: If you need a new water heater, read about tankless and storage-tank water heaters. And use our water-heater calculator to make sure you pick a properly sized unit.
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