Plumb and Plumber
Wouldn't a composting toilet save even more water? What are their disadvantages as compared to the low-flush toilets you advocate? -- Jessica McNamara, Tonasket, Wash.
Ed Del Grande, master plumber and how-to expert.
Composting toilet systems are the ultimate water-saving toilets -- that's the good news. The disadvantage is that because it's a composting toilet "system," you need to have a storage area for the waste to break down. Usually this will take place in an underground tank, so normally this type of system is found in remote areas that are not on public sewer systems. You also need to check your local codes before installing a composting toilet system. Composting toilets are a good water-saving idea, but not for everyone or every area, so it's up to you to decide. In most cases, a high-efficiency toilet may be a more practical solution, since it can be installed on any standard plumbing system.
My "other" insists that his shower is not wasting water. His setup: a pipe stretching to the other end of the shower, both ends spewing water as if in a spa. He says the same amount of water is pushing through the two openings as if it were one. I say "poppycock." There has to be more force to get the water over to the other end of the shower, therefore causing more water to flow through the pipes. This has been an ongoing debate for over 12 years! Please settle it once and for all! -- Nancy Fidel, Coconut Creek, Fla.
Without seeing this shower setup I cannot tell you who is right. What I can tell you is that the standard regulation for water use in the shower is 2.5 gallons per minute. So to solve this problem, get two five-gallon buckets and put one under each showerhead. After a minute, if the total combined water use is over 2.5 gallons, there's your answer. Kohler Co. does make an eco-friendly 2.0 gpm showerhead that saves water and delivers a very strong spray of water, so there's your compromise!
If I put a brick in my toilet tank, what material should the brick be, what size is best for water saving, what overall shape should the brick be, and where exactly should it be placed in the toilet tank? -- Beverly Smith, Cottonwood, Ariz.
You should not put any type of brick in a toilet. Newer toilets are specially designed to flush using the required amount of water needed for the bowl without any obstruction in the tank. It's OK to lower the water line to acceptable levels in a toilet as per the manufacturer's instructions, but blindly tossing a brick in the tank may not be a good idea. A better option might be choosing a toilet with a water-saving flushing system. Look for the EPA's new WaterSense label, which means the toilets use at least 20 percent less water than standard 1.6 gpf toilets while still meeting strict flushing performance guidelines. This way you get exactly what you're looking for and don't have to risk causing damage inside the tank.
In other parts of the world, waterless urinals are being promoted. They have even been proposed as an "environmental good" in the current multilateral trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization. What's your opinion of waterless urinals? Do you think there is much of a potential market for them in the U.S.A.? -- Ronald Steenblik, Paris, France
Kohler Co. recently came out with a line of waterless urinals. Once I started working with them and saw the innovative developments, it convinced me there is a huge market for them in the U.S., both for residential and commercial use. The engineers have told me that one waterless urinal installed in a commercial setting can save up to 40,000 gallons of water a year! Now you know why I'm such a believer in the potential for the public to accept and install all kinds of water-conserving products at home and at the office!
Are there any toilets currently available designed to use gray water? Are there any particular concerns you think need to be addressed in converting a regular tank toilet to use gray water? -- Alexander Drywall, Boston, Mass.
Any toilet can use gray water. A gray-water system can be installed in a house to collect used non-sewage water from fixtures like showers and sinks, filter the debris from the water, and store it in a tank to be pumped into the toilet for use. Gray water is not potable water, and permits and codes have to be followed to have this system installed in a home. A properly installed gray-water system usually doesn't require any special conversions to the toilet, since the water will have been treated and filtered before it gets to the toilet tank. But, as always, check your local codes.
My friend has to replace her septic tank in Paradise, Calif., very soon, and they have strict laws regarding this. What would be her "greenest" option? -- Kat Hanlon, Oakland, Calif.
A properly installed and operating septic system is a "green" system. Septic tanks separate and store the heavy solids, then pipe off the remaining wastewater to a leach field, where it starts its journey of filtering through the earth to rejoin the groundwater table. Yearly pumping of the tank's waste is recommended. The important thing to do to keep your tank "green" is to use a licensed septic contractor who will follow all the local codes and take out the proper permits for the job. After that, your local building office will inspect and approve the system and you're good to go!
I work for a hotel development company and have desperately been trying to find a rain showerhead that is not a water hog. Are there any out there that you know of? -- Name not provided, Teton Village, Wyo.
Kohler Co. makes a complete line of performance showerheads for residential and commercial use that meet or beat the water-saving 2.5 gpm regulations. The good news is that even though these are environmentally friendly showerheads, they are designed to deliver a strong powerful shower spray. Your hotel guests and the person who pays the water bills will both love the performance showerheads.
Every time we take a shower, especially in the morning, we end up wasting the initial cold flow until the water warms up. Is there a device/gizmo/trick to capture the wasted water for use in the yard? -- Helik Shemer, Leesburg, Va.
The best way to save water is to not use it in the first place. There are recirculating hot-water pumps and systems that a licensed plumber can install in your home. The system ensures your shower will get hot water right away, thus saving a lot of the wasted cold water, just like the hotels do! Look into "residential recirculating hot-water systems"; I think that might be exactly what you're looking for.
From your professional work and perhaps from personal travels, have you seen toilets in other parts of the world that are just as good or better for water conservation as the ones you're helping to promote these days? -- Bill Mott, Providence, R.I.
I have not had the pleasure to travel out of this country yet, but I have read up on how toilets around the world operate. In America, we use a siphon jet system in which water is actually "pulled" from the bowl. In Europe, most toilets are gravity flush bowls, which simply means the water floods the bowl quickly and is "pushed." Many offer full or half flush options. Sterling Plumbing has developed a dual-flush system that offers a full gravity flush of 1.6 gallons, and a water-saving half-gallon flush. This also combines a new bowl flushing system that pushes and pulls the water at the same time. This is a very efficient system that is available here in America.
When I open the hot-water faucet in my bathroom, the water flows for a while, then I hear a violent knocking in my pipes and the water stops. Any ideas? -- Paul LeRoux, Lakewood, Colo.
Sounds like it could be a loose or broken rubber washer in the shut-off valve for the hot-water side of the faucet. As the hot water passes over or through the broken rubber washer, the washer may be expanding and choking off the pipe. A licensed plumber should look at this.
I live in a 44-year-old house with equally old pipes and drains. I've witnessed the powerful flushing capacity of some of these newly designed toilets. I'm concerned about installing one of these toilets in my house for fear that the force of the discharge will break the discharge drains. Is this a valid concern or not? -- Pam Paquette, Somerset, Mich.
While the new high-efficiency toilets do deliver a powerful flush with less water, they are designed to meet the standards of normal drainage systems. If you are that concerned about your delicate drain lines, I would have a plumber check out your system and replace any bad areas. You may also have old lead drains that should be removed regardless of what type of toilet you are using. Good luck!
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