2.4a Low-flow Toilets and Fixtures

Feature	Toilets that use less water to flush and fixtures designed to use less water save homeowners money in water bills. Pictured here is one of Kohler’s line of toilets that carry the WaterSense label. See more Kohler WaterSense-labeled toilets.
Low-flow Toilets	According to the NAHB Research Center: It's not just low flow, it's the law. In 1995, the National Energy Policy Act mandated the use of toilets that use no more than 1.6 gallons of water per flush. Since then, low-flow plumbing fixtures including toilets, faucet aerators and showerheads have been developed that save substantial amounts of water compared to conventional fixtures while providing the same utility. Low-flow toilets use a maximum of 1.6 gallons of water per flush compared with about 3.5 gallons of water used by older toilets. Low-flow showerheads use about 2.5 gallons of water per minute compared to between 4 and 5 gallons per minute used by conventional heads. Low-flow faucet aerators can cut the water usage of faucets by as much as 40% from 4 gallons per minute to 2.5. Read more
Cost	Costs of low-flow fixtures are similar to conventional fixtures, and the faucets and showerheads may be slightly more expensive.
Data	If a family of four replaces their 3.5-gallon-per-flush toilets made before 1994 with an EPA WaterSense-labeled toilet, they could save $90 a year and as much as $2,000 over the toilet’s life. (Source: U.S. Green Building Council)
Resources	• LEED for Homes Water Efficiency point system • Low-flow toilets on This Old House
WaterSense Label
Bathroom Sink Faucets	From the EPA WaterSense program: By installing WaterSense-labeled bathroom sink faucets or faucet accessories, an average household can save more than 500 gallons each year. Also, since these water savings will reduce demands on water heaters, households will also save energy. Achieving these savings can be as easy as twisting on a WaterSense-labeled aerator, which can cost as little as a few dollars. If every household in the United States installed WaterSense-labeled bathroom sink faucets or faucet accessories, Americans could save more than $350 million in water utility bills and more than 60 billion gallons of water annually. In addition, U.S. homes could avoid about $600 million in energy costs for heating water. WaterSense-labeled faucets are made by such companies as American Standard, Kohler, Moen and Price Pfister. See all WaterSense-labeled faucet brands
Showerheads	From the EPA WaterSense program: Showering represents approximately 17% of residential indoor water use in the U.S.—more than 1.2 trillion gallons of water consumed each year. The EPA is currently developing standards for showerheads.