| R. Dodge Woodson/Lone Wolf Enterprises, Ltd. | | | | the coming years. Old toilets often consume 5 |
| | | | | gallons of water each time they are flushed. More |
| Replacing Existing Plumbing Fixtures with | | | | modern toilets use 3 gallons of water. Most |
| Water-Conservation Fixtures | | | | residential low-flush toilets use 1.6 gallons of water. |
| What is involved with replacing | | | | Now think of how many times a day your toilet is |
| existing plumbing fixtures with water-conservation | | | | flushed. Multiply that number by 365 to get your |
| fixtures? Is it worth the cost of new fixtures to | | | | yearly use and compare the number of gallons of |
| save some water? I have heard that low-flush | | | | water that can be saved. If you are paying for |
| toilets don’t work well, is that true? How | | | | your water by the gallon, it adds up. The same is |
| much of the work can I do myself? These | | | | true for shower heads that use 5 gallons per |
| questions often come up when homeowners | | | | minute, 3 gallons a minute, or less. How long to |
| consider installing water-conserving plumbing | | | | you spend running the water in the shower? Do |
| devices. Short answers are simple, but there is | | | | the math. |
| more to these questions than what meets the | | | | Is it true that low-flush toilets |
| eye. | | | | don’t work well? This is a tricky question. In a |
| The manual labor required to | | | | new installation on a modern plumbing system |
| switch over to water-saving plumbing devices is | | | | that is installed in compliance with code |
| not extensive. Nearly anyone with basic | | | | requirements, the low-flush toilets work just fine. |
| mechanical skills, a few tools, and a spare | | | | You can experience problems with low-flush toilets |
| afternoon on their hands can do the job. A | | | | when they are used to replace toilets in homes |
| shower head can be replaced in less than 30 | | | | that contain old, cast-iron piping. This piping is |
| minutes by most amateurs. Faucet replacement | | | | rough on the inside and rusts. Sometimes the |
| could take about an hour for a homeowner to | | | | piping is not installed with the pitch/slope/grade |
| accomplish. Replacing a toilet can be done by | | | | that current codes require. The pipe works fine |
| many homeowners in less than an hour. None of | | | | when 5 gallons of water floods and flushes it. This |
| the jobs are lengthy or complicated. | | | | same pipe trying to do the same job with 1.6 |
| What is the value of | | | | gallons of water can falter. |
| water-conserving fixtures? If you pay for your | | | | If you have plastic drain pipes |
| water through a municipal system, there is a clear | | | | in your home, the low-flush toilet should be fine. A |
| financial gain to be achieved when you use less | | | | 3-gallon-per-flush toilet will usually work with older |
| water. If you get your water from a well with an | | | | cast-iron systems, but a 1.6-gallon-per-flush toilet |
| electric water pump, you will save money on | | | | might not have enough force to work reliably with |
| electricity and wear and tear on your pump when | | | | every flush. |
| you use less water. There is also the reduction of | | | | All in all, most homeowners can |
| wastewater that has to be treated to take into | | | | benefit, as can the environment, from the |
| consideration. Let’s look at a simple example | | | | installation of water-conserving plumbing devices. |
| of what you might gain in financial savings over | | | | |