Old toilets are water hogs, using up to 5 gallons per flush compared to 1.6 gallons for toilets sold since 1994. Replacing old toilets with newer models in your home will save $50 to $125 and up to 10,500 gallons each year, depending on utility rates and usage habits.

• Save With Every Flush
• Types of Toilets
• Installing a New Toilet
• Checking for Leaks
• Recycling Old Toilets
• Resources

Did you know that toilets are the biggest water wasters in the home? Whether you have a very old toilet or a modern model, the new generation of 1.28 gallons per flush WaterSense toilets and the 1.6 gallons per flush FlushStar toilets will save you water and money.

Most households can easily save thousands of gallons of water and more than $100 a year on utility bills by installing a WaterSense toilet, without sacrificing performance.

When choosing new toilets, look for the WaterSense or FlushStar label - these labels are your guarantee of performance, efficiency and quality. They have been independently tested and proven to perform, and are available in local stores.

Seattle water utilities are partnering with local retailers to promote FlushStar and WaterSense toilets and demonstrate the water and money savings these toilets can generate. Drop by your local retailer and check out the new generation of efficient toilets. Participating retailers include Aurora Plumbing, Home Depot, Junction True Value, McLendon Hardware, Morgan Electric & Plumbing and Pacific Supply. View a list of participating retailers and locations (pdf).

• See the WaterSense List (pdf) and FlushStar List (pdf).
• Read about Toilet Test Results

• Gravity Flush toilets are standard toilets and the most popular. Improved design has resulted in many good-performing models.
• Pressure-Assist toilets have a vessel in the tank that pushes water through the bowl quickly when the toilet is flushed. They tend to be louder and more expensive than gravity toilets, but have a reputation for good performance.
• Vacuum-Assist toilets are similar to gravity flush. However, their design creates a vacuum to help pull waste through the bowl.
• Dual-flush toilets have two buttons, one for solid waste, and one that flushes at less than 1.6 gpf for liquid waste. Some dual-flush toilets are washdown models.
• Washdown toilets often have large trapways and small waterspots. A large trapway means they are less likely to clog, but a small waterspot means they sometimes do not clean the bowl as well as other toilets.

Whether you replace a toilet yourself or hire a plumber, it helps to plan ahead.

• Get Tips for Installing a Toilet.

Check your toilets for leaks at least once a year. Slow, silent toilet leaks are very common. Water also goes down the drain when toilets are prone to occasional "running," "hanging up," "sticking," etc.

• Read about Fixing Toilet Leaks.

Please recycle your old toilets (seats must be removed). Call Renton Concrete Recyclers at (206) 772-2278 for information about hours of operation and cost. View directions to Renton Concrete Recyclers (pdf)

Conserving Water in Your Apartment (pdf) Simple steps to reduce your water use.

Finding and Fixing Water Leaks (pdf) Tips on identifying and repairing leaks in toilets and faucets.