It might be time to upgrade to water-efficient toilets, especially if you live in a state notorious for droughts. A study from the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) and Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI), show that water-efficient toilets have the potential to save up to 170 billion gallons per year.
The study, “Saturation Study of Non-Efficient Water Closets in Key States,” explains that states suffering from extreme water shortages—Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia and Texas – have the ability to achieve water savings if non-efficient toilets in residential properties are replaced with water-efficient ones. The extrapolation estimates 360 billion potable gallons of water could be saved per year nationally.
“This study affirms the important and sometimes overlooked role that water-efficient plumbing products – and programs such as the EPA WaterSense label – play in assuring water sustainability for our nation,” says Mary Ann Dickinson, AWE president and CEO. “We are nowhere near the potential of water savings we can achieve through water efficiency.”
The research serves as an important indicator of positive changes in water consumption to come. The five states researched represent 28% of the national population and 47% of all housing units in 2015, so the report examines a large part of the residential water consumption in the United States.
Toilet flushing is the largest single indoor use of water, representing 24% of total use in single-family homes. Replacing non-efficient toilets with efficient ones is an important strategy to stretch available water supplies.
To read more about the details of the study, click here.
