WaterSense®-Approved High-Efficiency Toilets are Designed
To Flush Effectively Using 1.28 Gallons of Water – And Less!

Did you know that 30 to 35 percent of the water you use in your home every day gets flushed down the toilet? In older homes with older toilets, the number is even higher.

Since 1992, Federal law prohibits the sale of toilets that use more than 1.6 gallons with each flush. That’s a major improvement from pre-1994 models that used 3.5 gallons per flush and pre-1980 models that used anywhere from 5 to 7 gallons per flush. The latest generation, computer-designed High-Efficiency Toilets (HET) flush more effectively by using only 1.28 gallons of water. There are also a few that use just 1.1 gallons, or even 0.8 gallons!

Let’s see how much water these toilets actually save.

According to one estimate, the average person flushes a toilet 140,000 times in their lifetime (who do you suppose is counting?). Based on these statistics, let’s say that the average person uses a 3.5-gallon toilet and they flush between four to six times per day. Switching from a 3.5-gallon-per-flush (gpf) toilet to a 1.28 gpf toilet would save 4,000 gallons of water a year. For a family of four, the savings on water bills could be as much as $2,000 over the life of the new toilet.

It gets better, because if your old toilet leaks, switching to a new toilet will save you even more. Leaks may only come one drop at a time, but each drop adds up fast. Don’t be fooled into thinking you will hear the sound of running water or some other noisy indication that your toilet is leaking. Typically, your toilet doesn’t make any noise when it leaks via the flapper. (Click here for more information about checking for leaks and replacing your toilet’s flapper.)

The most common question about HETs is how well they work. The new generation, HETs are computer-designed to clear the bowl with one flush, unlike some of the older, power-flush models. That’s why we are only authorizing rebates to qualifying applicants for WaterSense® certified HETs. The EPA WaterSense® label means that it is a toilet model that has undergone rigorous third-party laboratory testing and meets requirements for efficiency and performance recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. We also recommend a MaP rating for solids removal of 800 grams.

So, whether you are eligible to participant in the rebate portion of this program or not, we encourage you to always look for the WaterSense® label to help you conserve water.