Flush

Science World, Feb 7, 2005 by Britt Norlander

Soon, you may have new options in the bathroom. Dual-flush toilets, which let you select the size of your flush, are making a splash in the United States.

The new tanks have two buttons: One--designed for lightweight waste like liquids--flushes using as little as 3 liters (0.8 gallons) of water. For a heavy-duty dowsing, the second button washes with 6 liters (1.6 gallons)--the current standard for U.S. toilets.

Turns out, the low-flow option saves bucketfuls. In a 2002 Canadian study, households that switched to dual-flush toilets conserved nearly 45,425 liters (12,000 gallons) of water a year. That's good news: In 2003, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported that 36 states are expected to experience water shortages over the next 10 years, says Stephanie Tanner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water.

One toilet tip: "People have to be educated about the buttons," says John Koeller, a California water consultant. "They won't save any water if they don't know which button to push."

Did You Know?

* On average, a person uses his or her home toilet four times a day, says Stephanie Tanner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water.

* The average person uses 303 to 379 liters (80 to 100 gallons) of water a day. Toilet flushing, showers, and baths use the most water.

Resources

* Calculate your average water use with this Web site: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/sq3.html

* Visit this site from the EPA's Office of Water for kid-friendly resources about water use and ways to conserve it: www.epa.gov/ow/kids.html