Changing your toilet can reduce water pollution because _______.

A. the sewage is partially treated in the toilet before entering the sewer system

B. chemicals added by new toilets neutralize the pathogens in the water

C. more efficient plumbing uses more water and creates larger volumes of waste

D. more efficient plumbing uses less water and creates smaller volumes of waste

Answer: D

The correct answer is option D. “More efficient plumbing uses less water and creates smaller volumes of waste.”

Changing your toilet can reduce water pollution because more efficient plumbing uses less water and creates smaller volumes of waste.

Explanation

Changing your toilet can reduce water pollution because more efficient plumbing uses less water and creates smaller volumes of waste.

When you think of ways to help protect the environment, it’s probably not your toilet that comes to mind. But according to the EPA, using less water in your home is one of the best ways to reduce your impact on the environment. Toilets are responsible for about 30% of household water usage, and as such, they present an opportunity for many homeowners to reduce their environmental impact.

In the developed world, we take our access to clean water for granted. But that’s not the case for everyone. In fact, according to World Health Organization estimates, more than 20% of the global population lacks access to safe drinking water. In response to this need, organizations and individuals alike are working diligently to find ways in which they can help improve access to clean water and reduce its impact on the environment.

What is Water Pollution?

Water pollution occurs when waste or contaminants in water pollute the environment. The most common types of water pollution include sewage contamination and runoff, which happens when rain washes chemicals and waste into streams, rivers, or other bodies of water. Other types of water pollution include runoff from factories or farms that don’t properly treat their waste products.

When you think about water pollution, your mind probably imagines oil spills or factories releasing toxic sludge into rivers. While these are definitely examples of water pollution and a threat to our drinking water, the truth is that we have many smaller instances of water pollution in our homes every day.

Changing your toilet can reduce water pollution. That might not seem like something you’d ever consider doing, but it impacts the environment.

Why Changing Your Toilet Can Reduce Water Pollution

The average person flushes their toilet 2 or 3 times per day. Toilets account for roughly 25% of household water use. That’s a lot of water wasted on flushing away things like food scraps, toilet paper, and other solid waste. Considering that a typical toilet uses between 3.5 and 5 gallons of water per flush adds up over time.

Changing your toilet can help reduce water pollution in a few ways. First, by reducing the number of times you flush each day, you’re reducing the overall amount of water you use in your household. Fewer flushes mean less polluted water.

By How Much Does Changing Your Toilet Help?

How much does changing your toilet help to reduce water pollution? Let’s consider a scenario where the average family in America uses a conventional toilet and flush system. An average family of 4 flushes 10 times a day, for a total of 40 gallons of water used per day. Changing your toilet to a low-flow model can reduce water use to 1.6 gallons per flush. That’s a 60% reduction in household water use. That’s a significant drop in water pollution.

Re-examining Your Toilet Usage Habits

Reducing your water pollution starts with re-examining your toilet usage habits. Ensure you’re only flushing your toilet when you absolutely need to. That means no flushing food scraps, paper towels, or other household items that don’t need to go down the toilet.

How Installing a Dual Flush Toilet Can Help Reduce Water Pollution

A dual flush toilet is designed to minimize the amount of water used for each flush. There are two buttons on the handle you can push, one for liquid waste and one for solid waste. With a dual flush toilet, you can use the “liquid” flush for things like toilet paper or save even more water by opting for the “solid” flush.

Installing a Dual Flush System

Installing a dual flush system can help reduce water pollution. A dual flush system will allow you to select a lower flush, less water usage setting for when you’re flushing things like toilet paper. Depending on your current toilet, you might be able to add a retrofit kit to install a dual flush system.

How Installing a No-Flush or Low-Flush toilet can help reduce water pollution.

No flush or low flush toilets are designed for households where there are not enough people in the home to justify normal flush toilets. No flush or low flush toilets use a significantly reduced amount of water for each flush. Depending on your chosen model, some no flush or low flush toilets will actually compost the solid waste in the bowl.

Installing a Low Flow Shower Head and Faucet

Installing a low-flow shower head and faucet can help reduce water pollution. When shopping for new fixtures, you can typically find these as “low flow” or “eco” options. Depending on your current fixture, you might be able to install a low-flow head without having to replace the entire fixture.

How Installing a High Efficiency Toilet Can Help Reduce Water Pollution

High Efficiency toilets (HEs) are designed to use less water per flush than a regular toilet. Depending on the model, an HE can use anywhere from 1.28 to 1.6 gallons per flush. A regular household toilet can use anywhere from 3.5 to 5 gallons per flush. Replacing your current toilet with an HE can help reduce water pollution.

Bottom Line

Suppose you’re thinking about changing your toilet to a newer, more efficient model. In that case, it’s worth noting that replacing your toilet isn’t the only way you can reduce water pollution and protect the environment.

For example, if you’re using a traditional flush toilet that doesn’t use much water, switching to a flushing toilet designed to use less water could reduce water pollution by up to 90%. You can also make simple changes, like installing a water-saving showerhead or replacing your existing showerhead with a model that uses half as much water.