Low water mark - Home front: tips and trends from the world of residential design - New water saving appliances including TOTO's tankless toilet - Brief Article

Residential Architect, June, 2003 by Nigel F. Maynard

One of the by-products of the housing boom is a draining demand on natural resources--especially water. Some areas already have stringent consumption restrictions in place; others have measures on the table. Fortunately, a new generation of water-sipping appliances and fixtures helps take some of the water pressure off.

Newton, Iowa-based Maytag Appliances has introduced an updated Neptune TL, a high-efficiency top-loading washing machine that uses 50 percent less water than a traditional top-loader. The unit also is easier on clothes, because it uses two washing disks instead of a traditional agitator.

Irvine, Calif.-based Fisher & Paykel makes the IntuitiveEco washing machine, a product the company says offers the ergonomic advantages of a top-loader but the energy and water efficiency associated with a front-loader. An addition to the company's Ecosmart series, the new product has a spin speed of 1,000 revolutions per minute, wringing more water out of clothes and reducing drying time.

Other water-saving products include New York City-based TOTO's Neorest, a tankless toilet with a dual-flush water-saving mode, and Piscataway, N.J.-based American Standard's Champion toilet, which the manufacturer says achieves 40 percent more flushing power from 1.6 gallons than any other product on the market.