Water conservation

Maybe I worry too much about trivial matters. The blame for some of that probably goes back to my high school English and algebra teachers. A case in point: Yesterday, while standing before a urinal in a nearby grocery store's restroom, I noticed a sign which stated "This urinal flushes with only 16 oz. of water, saving 88% more water than a standard one-gallon urinal."

I got to wondering how much water a standard urinal saves. Applying my (admittedly rusty) high school algebra skills, I calculated:

Let x = the amount of water saved by a 1 gallon flush
and y = the amount of water saved by a 1 pint flush.

Then 1 gallon + x must be the "baseline" flush and 16 oz. + y is also the "baseline" flush.

Converting the gallon to ounces we get

128 + x = 16 + y (equation 1)

Since the 16 oz. flush saves 88% more than the 1 gallon flush

y = 1.88 * x (equation 2)

Inserting equation 2 into equation 1 we get

128 + x = 16 + 1.88 * x

Which yields

.88 * x = 112, or x = 127.3

The 1 gallon flush saves 127.3 ounces of water per flush. The 16 oz. flush saves 1.88 times that, or a phenomenal 239.3 ounces, which is 1.87 gallons.

Since I live in a desert state, I believe we should do what we can to save water. Based on the statement on the sign, it is obvious that we could aid our state's water problem by flushing urinals as often as possible. The one in the local grocery store would help 88% more.

 

phew ... that was alot to take in.

 

Sorry, had to. Water conservation is a pretty important thing though. We have lots of issues around here with towns wanting to take more water from streams, rivers and lakes because of the ever increasing influx of people.

 

I just hate low flow toilets. What good is a water saving toilet when you gotta flush 8 times to get it all down?

 

You are pretty alert. Whenever I edit a post, I use "speling" as a reason. No one else has caught it, or at least mentioned it.

 

Just the west coast is fucked. Normal people will carry on just fine.

 

You want to save the world and our water supply please stop spawning.

The world is already over populated.

I love how people who claim to be earth lovers and "green" that have big ass families.... worst kind of hypocrites

 

Very true. Just another reason for me to not procreate.

 

You have the wrong toilet

Get a Toto , 1 flush everytime no matter how big the log jam

 

I heard they weren't going to dump it, but instead turn it into some stupid water feature or something. Truly stupid.

 

Gerber. Toilets, not knives or baby food.

 

What do you think their advantage is over the Totos ? I've put a bunch of Totos in on my houses without any issues

 

Amen.

Transportation of food is the biggest culprit. Import food = export drought.
Areas of the world that cannot produce enough food and water to support the population should not have that much population.

 

I've sold and installed a lot of them. Perfect performance with 4.8L flush. I like the 3" flapper vs the 2".
Nothing against the Toto. Just a difference in the market probably.

 

Interesting

 

If it's yellow, it's mellow... (don't flush)

If it's brown... flush it down.

 

I work as an environmental regulator, you should see how much water big paper mills use. The cones of depression caused by the two major ones in VA extend more than a hundred miles. A third went out of business a few years ago and the water levels in surrounding wells rose 50 feet.

 

Pretty sure the post was simply an exercise in sarcasm, taking a swipe at the sign's claim =D

"We could aid our state's water problem by flushing urinals as often as possible. The one in the local grocery store would help 88% more."

 

they shouldve dumped it and disposed of the tank

 

You can always check out my town. Water main busted and has been leaking up through an intersection for over a month. Last time a section did it, it took them 4 months to fix. I just hope I'm not driving over it when the road gives out.