One way to prolong the life and health of your septic system is through the use of a water-saving high efficiency toilet. By some estimates, an old, inefficient toilet can account for up to 30 percent of the water use in your home, or as much as 11 gallons of wastewater each day per person. Replacing your toilet, therefore, could be a really smart move.
There are three types of high-efficiency toilets on the market:
Single Flush – This type of water-saving toilet is similar to the older ones, except it uses a lot less water. Where the older toilets use up to 3.5 gallons per flush, the water saver uses only about 1.6 gallons.
Dual Flush – Dual flush toilets give you two options for flushing, one for solids and one for liquids. The solids flush uses 1.6 gallons of water per flush, while the liquids flush uses about 0.8 gallons.
Pressure Assist – Pressure assist toilets are most commonly used in public restrooms, but they can also be installed in private homes. They use compressed air to help push waste out of the toilet, resulting in the use of a lot less water, just one gallon of water per flush.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, installation of a high-efficiency toilet in your home can save 11 gallons of water each day, or more than 4,000 gallons of wastewater going into your septic system each year. And when less water enters the septic system, the EPA says, it improves the efficiency of the system and reduces the risk of needing septic tank service or repairs due to a septic system failure.
Also worthy of a mention is the cost savings on your water bill. Replacing old leaky toilets with new water-efficient ones saves the average family of four about $90 a year. That’s about $1,000 over 10 years.
