Bathroom Water Efficiency 

The toilet is the biggest water user in your home. It accounts for 29% of your total household use. The average family of four flushes away 400 litres of water each day. Combined with showers and baths, the bathroom represents 63% of your home's total water use.

If your toilet is more than 10 years old, it is probably a water waster. Replace it with a new efficient, low-flush toilet which use between 50% and 80% less water per flush, depending on the model you buy. The most efficient toilets use 6 litres per flush.

Average savings by installing an ultra low flush toilet *

* This includes water, wastewater and surcharge fees (~$2.50 per cubic metre). Presumes 5 flushes per person per day.

More Tips for a More Efficient Bathroom

• Your toilet is not a waste basket - Avoid flushing garbage of any kind down the toilet. Every time you flush a facial tissue or other small bits of trash down a standard toilet, you waste more than 20 litres of water. Also, it is important to remember that tampons and sanitary napkins may cause your toilet to plug up. Flushing household cleaners, paints, solvents, pesticides and other chemicals down the drain can be very harmful to the environment. Use durable containers to store hazardous products and then dispose of them properly.
• Control your water flow - Replace your showerhead with a new low-flow model, and install low-flow aerators on your faucets to reduce water flow. Your local hardware store can assist you in picking out an appropriate model for your home.
• Don't let water run away on you - When washing, brushing your teeth or shaving, don't let the tap run. Fill a glass with water for rinsing when brushing your teeth. Rinse your razor by filling the sink with a small amount of warm water.

Remember! Be a leak seeker

A leaking toilet can waste more than 400 litres of water each day. You should check for leaks twice a year. To check for leaks, drop one food dye tablet (or a few drops of food colouring) into your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl after 15-20 minutes you have a leak. Most leaks do not require a plumber to repair. Your local hardware store can assist you by recommending the best method of replacement or repair.

Should you wish to replace your toilet, Terry Love's consumer toilet reports offers more information.

For more information on how to repair your own toilet see Toiletology.com