In
Canada, we have 7% of the world’s reusable fresh water and this makes us feel
as though we have an abundant supply. Yet, we are using it at a rate that we just
can’t keep up with. Already, municipalities must put water conservation bans
into place and encourage residents not to use excessive water during drought
times.
Did
you know that on average 65% of our indoor water use comes from our bathroom
habits? Saniflo knows all about bathroom water conservation and we have some
tips.
We
can reduce our water consumption in the bathroom in many ways, such as changing
shower heads and taking shorter showers, but what we would like to talk about
today is changing our flushing habits.
1
in 3 Canadians use toilets inappropriately to flush tissues, insects and small
garbage down the toilet. It seems like an easy way to get rid of waste but one
flush in a conventional toilet can use up to 18 litres of water. This is why
30% of our bathroom water use is flushed right down the toilet. Literally. And
if your water usage is metered, then you are flushing money down the toilet as
well.
There
are a few things you can do to decrease your toilet water consumption:
- Avoid unnecessary flushing. Use a garbage can for garbage.
- Check for leaks in your toilet’s tank. A leaking tank will continuously use water. (Use a few drops of food colouring in the toilet’s tank and wait 15-20 minutes to see if the colour spreads to the bowl without flushing. If it does, you have a leak that is costing you water.)
- A visual check can indicate whether any parts of your toilet are worn and needs replacing. Even a sticking handle can cause water to flow continuously.
- A low flow toilet can take up to 72% less water than a conventional toilet. Compare our SANIFLO toilets to an old conventional toilet that could use up to 18 litres of water:
o The SANICOMPACT and
SANISTAR toilets use only 4 litres of water.
o The SANIFLUSH toilets (for
use with our external macerators such as the SANIPLUS) use only 6 litres of
water.
By simply switching to one of our low flow toilets and changing your flushing habits, you could make a large dent in your bathroom water consumption.