What are some easy ways our co-op or condo building can reduce water consumption?

Although energy consumption is the biggest challenge for co-op and condo buildings when it comes to meeting carbon neutrality, water usage plays a role too, especially when that water is heated.

Replacing wasteful plumbing fixtures with more efficient ones nets the following benefits:

• Toilet: Reduces water consumption
• Shower head: Reduces both water and energy consumption
• Faucet: Reduces both water and energy consumption

According to the EPA, toilets account for nearly 30 percent of the water usage in the average home, so making sure they operate efficiently can significantly impact a home’s total water consumption. In buildings built in the 1970s and 1980s, original toilets can use between 5 and 8(!) gallons per flush (GPF). 

Today’s standard toilet tank is 1.6 GPF or lower. The State of New York requires new installations to be 1.28 GPF or less. Imagine how much water could be saved if the remaining original toilets in an older building were replaced. Additionally, a leaky toilet, which can waste 200 gallons of water per day, is often the result of an old or worn-out flapper. Replacing an old toilet with a 0.8 GPF vacuum-assisted flapperless toilet provides the most significant reduction in water consumption