EcoAction Teams | EcoAction Tips

Households Municipalities Why Take Action 2009 Contest Winners What’s in a name?

Articles Tips Toolkit Newsletters Guides

News Videos

Home » Tips & Resources » EcoAction Tips » Water Tips - Toilet

EcoAction Tips

Water Tips - Toilet

Do-It-Yourself: Toilet Dam
You can create your own toilet dam as an inexpensive way to conserve water.

Supplies:
- 1 litre plastic pop or juice bottle
- Small, clean stones to fill the bottle
*Remember: never use a bare brick or rock as a displacement device as dissolved particles could clog pipes and septic systems.

Instructions:
Remove label from a 1 litre plastic bottle (it may be necessary to experiment with different shapes). Fill the bottle with water, add stones to weigh it down and replace the cap. Place the bottle in your tank. Make sure that the placement of the bottle does not get in the way of the flushing mechanism.
Make the Toilet Switch
Toilets installed before 1994 use over 40% more water than necessary. Check with your municipality to see if you have a toilet replacement program or rebates for buying a low-flow or a dual-flush toilet.
Toilet Test
Test your toilets for leaks by putting two or three drops of food colouring in the holding tank. Wait for a few minutes. If the colour shows up in the bowl, there's a leak. Fix this problem immediately to avoid wasting more water.
Dual-flush Toilets
Dual-flush toilets allow you to flush your liquid waste with a 3-litre flush and your solid waste with the regular 6-litre! Dual flush toilets are mandatory in Australia and are becoming more readily available in Canada.

contact the web team: