Eco-friendly Bathrooms

As residents of the Las Vegas Valley, it doesn’t take much beyond the summer’s scorching temperatures and rapidly diminishing greenbelts to remind us that we’re living in the desert. For us, water is a precious commodity, and not one to be wasted or squandered unnecessarily.

The need to conserve water is becoming increasingly imperative because the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 36 of 50 states will begin to experience water shortages within the next several years. Parts of the nation where people didn’t expect to have any trouble are already having shortages, such as Atlanta, Ga., which came within 18 days of being without water last summer.

For years we have taken steps to save water by converting our yards to desert landscapes, eliminating decorative water features, washing our cars less frequently or supporting car washes that have recycling systems in place.

But what about conservation efforts inside the home?

Sure, you can turn off the water when you brush your teeth and try to take shorter showers. Yet those methods only work if you remember them, said Gray Uhl, director of design for American Standard.

While he appreciates all that Americans do daily to conserve water, Uhl said it doesn’t take much for them to forget and there are plenty of distractions nowadays. A recent bathroom habits survey by the plumbing fixture manufacturer revealed that more and more people are using their bathrooms for tasks other than what they were originally intended for. In fact, 88 percent of those polled admitted to using at least one type of electrical device in their bathroom.

That’s why Uhl worked to create a variety of plumbing fixtures that automatically help people use less water.

"There’s a better way to handle it," he said.

According to Uhl one of the easiest ways to conserve water is to install a high-efficiency toilet, which can save as much as 4,000 gallons of water per year. A high-efficiency toilet uses just 1.28 gallons per flush compared to 1.6 gallons for traditional toilets. And, if the fixture was manufactured before 1992, Uhl said it can use between 3.5 and 5 gallons per flush.

"I fully understand the reluctance on the part of consumers as to whether or not this toilet will work well. People are somewhat skeptical," he said.

To counteract their skepticism, American Standard has done a "tremendous amount of testing" to create its Cadet 3 Flowise toilet that has a large trapway that allows users to flush just one time and remain virtually clog free.

Another trend is the dual-flush toilet. Through its Sterling division, Kohler offers users a choice of a 0.8 gallon light flush for liquid wastes or a 1.6 gallon flush for solid wastes. It also has developed a Class Five flushing system that offers an optional 1.4 gallons per flush setting.

"This can save a typical family of four up to 2,000 gallons of water per year," said Rob Zimmerman, Kohler’s senior staff engineer for its water conservation initiatives.

In addition, the company has created a new EcoSmart technology that uses a flapperless flush tower design for consistent, reliable performance and to prevent toilet "run-ons" that can waste water.

Canadian manufacturer Produits Neptune also offers a dual-flush system and its double-glazing process results in a high-density finish that helps prevent bacteria from forming or debris from accumulating in the bowl.

"Roughly 60 percent of a home’s water usage comes from the bathroom. And with the toilet guzzling 27 percent of the household water supply per year, a dual-flush toilet is a stylish, cost-effective and eco-friendly choice," said Marianne Truchon, communications director for Produits Neptune.

But using the toilet is only one of several bathroom activities.

American Standard’s survey shows that people spend an average of 30 minutes in the bathroom each day, with one in four people spending more than an hour. A majority of that time is spent in the shower.

Jeannette Long, director of marketing communications for American Standard, said women are more likely to take significantly longer than men in the shower, with more than half taking 10 or more minutes. And having children only increases their desire to escape to the shower, with 58 percent of people with children taking longer showers than those who don’t.

"The percentage of consumers who have reduced the amount of time they spend in the shower over the past four years is minimal based on data we collected," she said.

Since people aren’t necessarily willing to shorten their showers, the best solution was to create water-saving showerheads.

Uhl said they engineered a little turbine inside their Flowise showerheads that "chops up" the water droplets to create greater impact when they hit the body. So, even though water is only flowing at 1.5 gallons per minute, it still feels like the more traditional 2.5 gallons per minute.

"When we developed this, I thought of my 15-year-old son," Uhl said, adding that the youth thinks a shower should be finished only when he runs out of hot water.

One Flowise model offers a rotating face that increases water flow to 2 gallons per minute for those times when extra water is necessary. But, when the shower is turned off, the showerhead automatically resets to conservation mode, with 1.5 gallons per minute.

JACLO, which manufactures high-end bathroom fixtures, also has created a variety of low-flow showerheads and hand-held showers. Its designs incorporate flow regulators rather than restrictors to keep the water pressure strong, according to Larry Brodey, chief executive officer and owner. With a rate of 1.75 gallons per minute, the low-flow showerheads can result in a savings of 500-800 gallons per month, he added.

Similarly, aerators and low-flow faucets can reduce the amount of water used at the sink. American Standard’s Uhl said the company is in the process of converting all of faucet aerators from flowing at a rate of 2.2 gallons per minute to those that flow at 1.5 gallons per minute.

"The engineered aerator still has a nice strong feel even though it is flowing at a less rate. The consumer saves water automatically," he said.

"Because the bathroom is one of the most resource-draining rooms in the entire house, any step made to reduce your bathroom’s environmental impact is important. However, what’s so great about low-flow fixtures is that you don’t have to give anything up or alter your daily procedures to enjoy the comfort of using them — while conserving water at the same time," Brodey said.

To help consumers make sure they are getting low-flow fixtures, the EPA has developed the Water Sense program, which operates like the Energy Star program for electrical appliances. Water-efficient fixtures carry the program’s logo, a blue and green drop of water. Additional information is available at www.epa.gov/watersense.