Page 29 - Advanced Technology for Energy and Water Saving

SAVING WATER

Saving Water

(With a Little Help

From Technology)

New and upgraded products have made water conservation almost

automatic. But again, it’s key to prioritize—and behavior still matters.

HAT’S MISSING? AS this chart shows, in the
typical home, toilets still consume the greatest TYPICAL U.S. HOUSEHOLD WATER USE
share of water, with other uses divided as Other Domestic Uses 2%
might be expected—plus leaks. But what about
W outdoor use? Irrigation accounts for up to 30
percent of water used by many homeowners.
With extreme heat and wildfires on the rise, particularly Showers
in the West, wise water use is imperative. Fortunately, Baths Leaks 17%
14%
upgrades and innovations within easy financial reach of 2%
most homeowners can help. Let’s look at what’s new with
each major category of water use.
Faucets Clothes
TOILETS: ULTRA EFFICIENCY AND A BIDET FUTURE? 15% washers
Better flushing technology has made the 1.28-gallon toilet 21%
a commercially viable and effective product for the home.
Combine this with the dual-flush option offered on many Toilets
new toilet models, and many toilets use only .8 gallons 28%
for urine removal. But the consensus in the industry is
that toilets have gone about as low as they can go and still Dishwashers
satisfy buyers. 1%
Also, we’d be remiss not to mention bidets, which are far
more common and accepted in Europe than the U.S. While
using a bidet may not seem like a water-saving move at the to produce. Adding a sleek bidet seat to an existing toilet,
micro level, at the macro level, the impact is huge. Every for example, can save thousands of gallons and hundreds
sheet of common tissue paper requires two gallons of water of dollars per year spent on toilet tissue.

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FOR ENERGY AND WATER CONSERVATION 29