A Gallon Saved Is a Gallon Saved

Even without a drought, California still lives from day to day on marginal water supplies. Every gallon of water saved makes the state’s water future more secure. Fortunately, technology that makes that possible keeps cropping up.

Assemblyman William J. Filante (R-Greenbrae) is sponsoring a bill with the support of the California Municipal Utilities Assn. and others that would require the installation of ultra-low flow toilets in new homes. The present law, passed in 1976, sets the standard at 3.5 gallons per flush. The Filante bill would reduce that to 1.6 gallons. Sen. Robert Presley (D-Riverside) has separate legislation that would require the installation of the new toilets in commercial buildings. Discussions are under way to merge the two bills into one.

Federal studies show that each person flushes the toilet an average four times a day at home. The 1.6-gallon toilet would save 14,000 gallons a year for a family of five when used to replace the 3.5-gallon water closet and 32,000 gallons when taking the place of older toilets that use 5 to 7 gallons per flush. The ultra-low flow toilets work just as well, or better, than the older models. The low-flow units also ease the burden on sewage treatment facilities.

Manufacturers of standard toilets are not pleased with the Filante and Presley bills. Their solution is not to work to defeat this progressive legislation, but to jump on the technology bandwagon. The Filante-Presley measures deserve swift approval and the governor’s signature.