O'Grady Plumbing - San Francisco, San Mateo and Bay Area Plumbing, Sewer, and Drain Specialists

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Toilets

Toilet usage accounts for 30% of domestic water consumption. In commercial office environments, toilets contribute to 92% of water consumption. In most toilet improvements: restaurants, assembly venues, work places with 3 or more people per toilet, and homes with higher occupancy will see the complete cost back in water savings in the first year. Other homes and uses will see different savings. Calculating the expected savings in changing your toilet to an HE toilet is easy to determine as long as you know the frequency of usage and the cost of water per unit. See attached for a spreadsheet to calculate your own savings.

As of July 1st, 2011, all toilets purchased and installed in the city and county of San Francisco must be HET (High-Efficiency Toilets)1.28 gallons per flush or less. By 2014, all toilets sold in California must be HE toilets (1.28 gallons or less per flush). By 2017, this will be federal law. There are rebates available that range from $75-$200 per toilet, in most Bay Area cities and towns. The SFPUC offers a $125.00 rebates for gravity toilet upgrades, and $200.00 rebates for flushometer toilets that are approved.

There is also a list on the SFPUC site that rates these toilets for their performance in testing. Each city/ town has a different program, with a different list of approved toilets and rebates. Most flushometer type toilets that are approved perform well. Gravity style toilets can be difficult to choose from with more options. Single flush gravity HE toilets use 1.28 gpf every time. Dual flush toilets use less water per flush, and will usually have a better flush than single flush HE toilets. The large flush on a dual flush is 1.6 gpf, while the small flush is usually less than 1 gallon. When you average out the 1 to 4 ratio, the end result is always less than 1.1 gpf for dual flush toilets, making them HE toilets that qualify for rebates. The Caroma, Sydney style toilet has the best performance of any gravity HE toilet (1000 grams p/f) and the lowest water consumption (.89 gpf) out of any toilet on the market. Qualifying toilets with flushing capacities of 800 grams or more do not clog from their intended usage; due to their larger discharge throat and higher water velocity. For business owners, managers, homeowners and property managers tired of dealing with repairs and clogs of first generation 1.6 gpf toilets, and big bills from old water hogs; HE toilets pay for themselves with very little difficulty. Now is a great time to take advantage of the financial incentives and ongoing savings from upgrading to HE toilets.