It’s time to treat your toilet like the special secret water-saving weapon it is!

Throughout the month of April, which is officially “Earth Month,” and leading up to Earth Day, we’re going to be featuring companies that are doing an extraordinary job to help protect the planet by being more environmentally responsible themselves.

Mansfield Plumbing is one of those companies. The Perrysville, Ohio business is a leader in manufacturing highly water-efficient toilets, one of your home’s secret weapons when it comes to saving water. The company is setting a great example on how to run a sustainable business, too. It recycles millions of pounds of waste plaster, paper and wood each year and is reducing the amount of water its manufacturing facility uses by between 10 and 30 percent. In fact, about 10,000 tons of its scrap material is actually being recycled into the aggregate that paves the roads leading up to landfills!

 Here’s more about the water saving toilet products the company makes and why you should select your next toilet from Mansfield Plumbing.

Why Do You Need a Water Saving Toilet?

America is running out of water. Droughts related to climate change are taking a big toll. But so is factory farming, and industrial oil and gas operations, like “fracking,” which consume enormous quantities of water that ends up polluted and unusable for generations.

As water becomes more scarce, it gets more expensive. It also becomes more important to use the water we have wisely. In our homes, one of the biggest ways we waste water is by flushing the toilet.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t flush! Of course we have to!!

But do we need to use so much water when we flush? Not by a long shot.

That’s why a high-efficiency toilet is your secret weapon when it comes to saving water.

Every time a toilet is flushed, water is used to remove the waste from the bowl.

But how much water a toilet uses is the issue. Many “old fashioned” and out-of-date toilets may still use as much as 6 gallons of water per flush. That might have been fine before so many areas of the country faced drought. But in this day and age, we just can’t afford to use that much water to dispose of our body waste.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency created its WaterSense program to encourage companies to manufacture and sell water saving toilets (and other water appliances and fixtures) that get the job done using far less water than common toilets.

“WaterSense has estimated that if all old, inefficient toilets in the United States were replaced with WaterSense labeled models, we could save 520 billion gallons of water each year,” says Adriana Miller, product manager for Mansfield Plumbing.

“That’s roughly the amount of water that flows over Niagara Falls in about 12 days.

 “This change to low-flow toilets is something that every homeowner can do right now to help save water and celebrate Earth Day every day throughout the year.”

WaterSense-rated toilets use just 1.28 gallons per flush (GpF) or less.

“These high efficiency toilets (HETs) save water in the home, which can help our environment, and reduce yearly water bills for consumers. It’s a win-win situation,” says Mansfield’s Miller.

And here’s another benefit:

Water saving toilets earning the WaterSense label — like many offered by Mansfield Plumbing — have been certified to be at least 20 percent more efficient without sacrificing performance.

If you’re wondering just how much water and money you’d save by switching to a WaterSense model, Miller recommends homeowners visit the Water Savings Calculator at the Mansfield Plumbing website to determine just how much water and money a family can save by investing in a WaterSense-rated toilet with a powerful flushing system.

HOW MUCH WATER CAN YOU SAVE?

⇒ A  family of four can potentially save 16,206 gallons of water each year (with an average five flushes a day per person) when installing a 1.28 Gpf toilet over a 3.5 Gpf toilet.

⇒ That equates to about $81 in savings each year.

⇒ When installing a 1.0 Maverick or Quantum toilet, the figures drop even further, to saving 18,250 gallons of water yearly or about $91 in water bills.

“For many areas of the country, it’s not about the cost savings, but about the fact that there simply isn’t enough water availability,” says Miller.

“Taking the step to invest in HETs makes good sense for communities, the environment and for homeowners.”

I took my own advice and bought a WaterSense toilet. (That’s it on the left.)

Miller points out that several states (including California and Texas) mandate the use of WaterSense-rated HETs for all new residential and commercial construction.

But whether your community requires WaterSense toilets or not, why not make the switch?

Otherwise, you’ll keep flushing unnecessary water – and money – down the drain.

Related Posts:

Ten Ways to Save Water Outside and Cut Your Water Bill by 50%
10 No-Brainer Ways to Use Water Wisely. Plus, a Bonus… 
Water. Use it Wisely.

The post Are You Using Your Secret Weapon to Save Water? appeared first on Big Green Purse.

I’m a big fan of WaterSense, the program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that inspires companies to produce appliances and gadgets that help people like you and me save money. When I needed to replace my toilet last year, I made sure it met the WaterSense standards, and when I’ve purchased water timers for my garden, they’ve been WaterSense models, too. This month, WaterSense is focusing its attention on showers, since conventional showers waste so much H2O. I invited Karen Wirth, EPA’s WaterSense Marketing and Outreach Coordinator, to explain why it makes sense to take a WaterSense shower. Here’s what she had to say:

The shower is a place where we wake up, wind down, or just have a little “me” time in an otherwise hectic day. But did you know it’s also one of the most common places indoors where you might be wasting water, energy, and money?

Showering is one of the leading ways we use water at home, accounting for nearly 17 percent of residential indoor water use. The average family uses about 40 gallons of water daily in the shower alone. That adds up to nearly 1.2 trillion gallons used nationwide each year just for showering. Shaving just one minute off your shower time can save more than 500 gallons of water annually, as well as the same amount of electricity as it takes to run your laptop all year!

In 2006, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created WaterSense® as a label for high-efficiency plumbing products that not only use less water, but work as well (or better) than their water-guzzling counterparts. What’s more, we require products that earn the label to be independently certified to our rigorous criteria for both water savings and performance.

Take showerheads, for example. EPA requires WaterSense-labeled models to be tested for both spray force and water coverage in addition to water savings, so you can enjoy a relaxing and satisfying shower knowing you’re saving resources and doing your part for the environment. In other words, you’ll shower better.

And don’t forget, it takes energy to heat our shower water. Let’s say you take an eight-minute shower. If you’re using a WaterSense-labeled showerhead, every time you shower, you’ll save four gallons of water, plus the electricity it takes to light a 60-watt bulb for eight hours. For a whole family, replacing just one showerhead with a WaterSense labeled model can save 2,900 gallons of water per year, or the amount of water it takes to wash more than 70 loads of laundry! The average American family can also save enough energy each year to power their home for 13 days, and cut annual water and energy costs by more than $70.

In places like California, which is experiencing its worst drought in decades, saving water is especially important. Across the country, if every U.S. home replaced its showerheads with WaterSense-labeled models, we could save more than 260 billion gallons of water annually. WaterSense-labeled models are available in a wide variety of styles and price points, so you’re sure to find one that works for you. And, best of all, you’ll be making a simple change for the better.

In honor of EPA’s Shower Better Month this October, why not give yourself a green upgrade with a WaterSense-labeled showerhead? Many water utilities are offering free showerhead replacements or rebates on WaterSense labeled models; check out EPA’s website. Money isn’t all you will save, but it sure is a good start!

RELATED POSTS:

Ten Ways to Save Water Outside and Cut Your Water Bill by 50%

10 No-Brainer Ways to Use Water Wisely.

Meet My New Water-Saving Toilet

The post Are You Taking A WaterSense Shower? appeared first on Big Green Purse.