My toilet is set up so that I only use half the water. I save thousands of crowns every year
For the last few years, we have been constantly hearing on the radio or reading articles about how critical our groundwater levels are. How river levels are dropping. Because there is little snow in the winter and little rain in the summer, the water is not replenishing. And when things do improve, it’s not for long.
Saving water is necessary
This information tells everyone that saving water is important and we can start with ourselves and our families. It is undeniably true that toilets use the most water in the home. It accounts for up to 34% of all our consumption. So it may be a good place to start looking for savings there.
First and foremost, check your toilet for leaks. This is often apparent at a glance and sometimes even by listening. But if you’re not sure, try a little trick. Add some transparent food colouring to the tank and do not rinse for at least ½ hour. If the water in the bowl is stained after that time, you know you have a problem that needs to be fixed.
Of course, there are already plenty of toilets on the market where you can select the amount of water to be flushed by simply selecting a button. But there’s no such choice with the older ones, and up to 12 litres will go down the drain in a single flush, when only 5-7 would do. If you multiply that amount by the number of family members and add it up in a single month, you might find that kind of consumption staggering even to yourself.
There are a few tips on how to reduce this amount without having to dig up the room and change the bowl. For example, you can put a PET bottle filled with water in the tankto take up space that would otherwise be filled with more water.
Maybe it’s the float that’s at fault.
Or you can adjust the float in the tank. It’s not difficult and can be done by a not so skilled enthusiast. First you have to remove the tank cover and then check how far the water in the tank extends. It should be between 2.5 and 5 cm below the edge of the overflow hole.
Then check the float setting. If it is too high, the water in the tank will also reach unnecessarily high. But of course, a situation where the float is too low is not good either. In that case, the reservoir will not fill sufficiently with water, which may not be enough to flush the contents of the bowl. If you are forced to repeat the flush, this is again a waste.
If you find that the float setting needs to be adjusted, turn off the water first. Then loosen the connection between the float and the valve and move the float up or down as needed. This will allow you to turn the screw left or right. Finally, reconnect the float to the valve and you can turn the water back on. Put the lid back in place and you can test your entire endeavor.
With just this simple adjustment, you can save up to 30% of wasted water. And not only will the environment thank you for it, but your wallet will too.
The following video will help you understand the process
Photo: Shutterstock
