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Are you flushing money down your toilet?If you have an old high-volume toilet that uses 3.5 - 7.0 gallons per flush (gpf) you could be unknowingly wasting water. Federal law has required the installation of ultra low flush (ULF) toilets that use 1.6 gpf or less since 1994. Unfortunately, because toilets have an average life expectancy of 20-30 years, many high flow toilets are still in use in our community. Between 1993 and 2008, the Tampa Water Department offered Toilet Replacement Rebates of up to $100 to encourage our customers to replace their high-volume (3.5 gallon or more per flush) toilets with American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-approved ULF or High-Efficiency toilets (HETs). The program was offered with funding assistance from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board as part of the Tampa Water Department's (TWD) comprehensive water conservation program. Even though Tampa no longer provides toilet rebates, you can save water and money by replacing any high flow toilets with ULF toilets or HETs. Choose a new toilet carefully. Not all toilets perform alike. Consider factors such as style, performance, fit and color of your toilet. To keep your toilet working at peak efficiency, check periodically for leaks and replace worn internal parts.
How Many Toilets Have We Rebated?The Tampa Water Department provided rebates for residential and business customers to change from high-water using toilets to 1.6 gallon per flush models between 1993 and 2008. More than 37,000 toilets were replaced between 1993 and 2008. History of Toilet Rebate Figures
Water Savings from Toilet Replacement
Toilet Flappers - A Common Source of Hidden LeaksMost toilets have a rubber valve called a flapper that holds the water in the tank until it is flushed. Over time, usually about a year, the flappers may begin to warp and allow water to leak into the bowl. A leaking flapper can waste hundreds of gallons of water per day, and you may not be able to hear the leak. Flappers should be tested periodically by placing dye tablets in the tank to see if the color appears in the bowl without flushing. If it does, the flapper should be replaced. The second important item to know is that when you replace the flapper it must be designed specifically for your brand and model of toilet. If it does not match, your toilet may use two to three times more water than it was designed to use. Check with plumbing stores or home improvement centers that sell your brand of toilet to purchase the correct flapper. A "generic" flapper may not work correctly in your toilet. Additional information about toilet flapper selection and installation is available at http://www.toiletflapper.org/page1.aspx. |
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