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Green in the Bathroom: Dual Flush ToiletsEveryone talks about conserving water, and the new “in” thing is WaterSense faucets andtoilets. But those WaterSense toilets still use up to 1.28 gallons per flush – EVERYflush. So, thanks to the suggestion of a friend, it made sense to me to look into dual flushtoilets. New WaterSense guidelines (from the EPA Web Site) are as follows: “The effectiveflush volume has been established as 1.28 gallons, which is a 20 percent reduction fromthe 1.6 gallons per flush standard that became mandatory pursuant to the 1992 EPAct.”The EPA claims that replacing an older toilet with a new, efficient WaterSense model cansave a homeowner 11 gallons per toilet per day, which translates to nearly 4000 gallons per year. With a dual-flush toilet, the operator is using close to 40% less water withnearly every flush (in partial flush mode).For your most common usage, urination, the flush water usage is only .8 gallons (partialflush). Less often, for your other evacuation, the American Standard FloWise Dual FlushToilet uses 1.6 gallons (full flush). On average, considering a person may flush 10 times per day (8 partial, 2 full), you would use approximately 33% less water per day over asingle flush WaterSense toilet.We purchased the American Standard FloWise Dual Flush Toilet from Lowe’s. They didnot have it on the floor; we had to special order it. In fact, the sales people weren’tfamiliar with it. Home Depot had it available via internet sales only. The price for thecomplete toilet (tank and base) was under $299.00. Sure, you can purchase a low-endcomplete toilet for under $100. They may also be certified as “WaterSense,” but stillconsume 1.28 gallons per flush, and the porcelain will probably not be as high quality(which may scratch during cleaning, and easily stain and/or discolor).Another benefit of this model is the full skirt – nice and smooth for easy cleaning. Thecircular and full coverage motion of the flushing water keeps the bowl cleaner. It is avery attractive toilet, with a split chrome dual-action flush button centered on the top of the tank. It was easy to install, and American Standard provided detailed instructions for all the components.The toilet seat is made of long-lasting and easy-to-clean plastic, preventing the need for replacement, reducing its, and your, carbon footprint.Other manufacturers of dual-flush toilets include (but are not limited to) Toto, Kohler andGlacier Bay. But carefully check the water consumption – the Glacier Bay toilet offers1.1/1.6.If you are truly trying to make a difference in the environment, dual flush toilets arereally the only way to go.For more information, go to:
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