Retrofit

Retrofit means adapting or replacing an older water-using fixture or appliance with one of the many water-efficient devices now on the market. While these solutions cost more, they also save the most water and money. Retrofitting offers considerable water saving potential in the home and business.

Toilet retrofits

When it comes to retrofitting, the prime fixture to target is the toilet. You can: i) adapt your existing toilet in a number of ways, by installing certain water-saving devices inside the tank at the back of the toilet; or, ii) if the toilet is more than fifteen years old – which means it probably uses about 18 or more litres of water per flush – you can replace it with one of the growing number of ultra-low-volume (ULV) toilets, that can be ordered from most plumbing outlets, and use only 6 litres or less per flush.

There are many toilet adaptations you can install in the tank of an existing toilet to reduce the amount of water used in a flush cycle. These devices fall into three generic categories:

• water retention devices;
• water displacement devices; and,
• alternate flushing devices.

The most common water retention device available is the toilet dam. A set will save about 5 litres per flush when installed properly. Their main attraction is their low cost (under $10.00 per set) and the fact that they are easy to distribute and install for example, as part of a wider municipally-sponsored retrofit program. Their main disadvantage is that they tend to leak over time by slipping out of adjustment and can slip free and interfere with the moving parts inside the toilet tank, if not routinely checked. 

The water displacement devices familiar to most people are the plastic bags or bottles filled with water which are suspended inside the toilet tank. As the name implies, these devices displace several litres of water, saving an equivalent amount during each flush. Like the toilet dam, most displacement devices are inexpensive and easy to install. Their chief disadvantage is that they don't save as much water as other devices and, if they are not installed carefully, they can interfere with the proper operation of the toilet. 

One displacement device to stay away from is the brick! It can disintegrate inside the toilet tank, leading to excessive leakage at the flapper valve and may even be heavy enough to actually crack the tank.

There are essentially two types of alternative flush devices: early-closure and dual-flush. They are usually attached to the overflow tube inside the toilet tank. In both cases, they close the flush valve or flapper after the tank is only partially emptied. In theory, this interruption in the flush cycle occurs after the bowl has been cleared. In the case of the dual-flush mechanism, the amount of water saved is dependent upon how long the flush lever is activated – a partial flush for light duty or full flush or heavy duty.

While all of the above toilet adaptations appear to work as intended when first installed, their performance may vary considerably, depending on the toilet design. The best advice is to monitor the performance of the devices periodically. If you discover that it becomes necessary to double flush the toilet, something is in need of adjustment or replacement. Remember that double flushing defeats the purpose of your water conservation efforts and is costing you money.

If you decide that it is time for a toilet replacement in your home or business, you are well on your way to significant water savings that you can bank on over the life of the toilet. Replacing a 18 litre per flush toilet with an ultra-low-volume (ULV) 6 litre flush model represents a 70 percent savings in water flushed and will cut indoor water use by about 30 percent. 

Keep in mind that 18 litres per flush, assuming 4 flushes per person per day, translates into nearly 30 000 litres of clean, fresh water per year just to get rid of 650 litres of body waste. A 6 litre flush toilet only use about 10 000 litres to do the same task. Low flush toilets are available for less than $150.00 at most plumbing and supply stores. 

Remember, the ULV toilet not only uses less water, it produces less wastewater. If your municipality applies a sewer surcharge on your water bill, the investment in the better toilet could translate into a 50 percent reduction in your combined water/sewer bill. If you are on a private well and septic system, you are significantly reducing the loading on your tile field while extending its useful life. To a lesser degree, the same applies to the other water-saving devices described in these pages.

Showerheads and faucets

After the toilet, the shower and bath consume the most water inside the home. Conventional showerheads have flow rates up to 15 to 20 litres per minute. A properly designed low-flow showerhead can reduce that flow by half and still provide proper shower performance. Low-flow showerheads can be purchased in most plumbing supply outlets. 

Depending on your preference for finish and appearance, you can select a serviceable low-flow showerhead starting at around ten dollars. Consider one with a shut-off button. The advantage of the shut-off button is that it allows you to be really water efficient if you so choose, by being able to interrupt the flow, while you lather up or shampoo, and then resume at the same flow rate and temperature. 

Beware of the type of showerhead that produce such a fine mist that the water is quite cool by the time it reaches your feet. And, stay away from so-called flow restrictors that are inserted inside your existing showerhead. They look like a small plastic washer and can produce a fierce, stinging spray pattern which may significantly reduce the enjoyment of taking a shower.

Conventional faucets have an average flow rate of 13.5 litres of water per minute. Install low-flow aerators to reduce this flow. In the bathroom, a flow rate of about 6 litres per minute should do the trick, and in the kitchen a flow rate of 6 to 9 litres per minute is sufficient. Don't bother retrofitting the tap in the utility sink; it is intended to provide large volumes of water quickly, for example, for cleaning or washing, such that low flows will only inconvenience the user.

Outdoors

During the growing season water use can increase by as much as 50 percent. While lawns require a lot of water, much of this water is wasted – lost due to over-watering and evaporation (see Reduce).

Watering equipment also plays a part in how much water is saved and lost. Ideally, sprinklers should be suited to the size and shape of the lawn. That way, you avoid watering driveways and sidewalks. Installing timers on outdoor taps can be a wise investment.

Sprinklers that lay water down in a flat pattern are better than oscillating sprinklers which lose as much as 50 percent of what they disperse through evaporation. Drip irrigation systems which apply water only to the roots zone are the most efficient – and the most expensive – alternative.

The water you use to water your lawn doesn't have to come out of a tap. A cistern, which captures and stores rainwater, can be used as a source of irrigation water. A rain barrel can adequately fulfil this function.

Finally, consider a low-maintenance landscape – one which requires little more water than nature provides. Often called xeriscaping, the principles of a low-maintenance landscape are as follows:

• a reduced amount of lawn;
• proper plan selection making use of native grasses, shrubs and trees;
• the use of rain barrels / roof drainage
• mulching to reduce evaporative losses around shrubs and trees;
• improvements to soils;
• a proper irrigation system; and
• planned maintenance.

The most significant savings of course, come from a reduction in lawn area and switching from exotic plant forms to native species which require less water. In general, lawn areas should not exceed what is useful for play and social activities, and should be limited to the backyard where the family spends the majority of its time. 

Water Efficiency/Conservation Menu  Previous  Next