Are Your Restrooms Water Efficient?

Office buildings, schools, hotels and other types of commercial buildings use a lot of water in their daily operations. Building owners and managers are becoming increasingly aware of the need to use water more efficiently to reduce their risk due to potential water shortages and increasing costs.

Restrooms are a significant source of commercial building water consumption, but they're often overlooked. With these high-performance upgrades, you can save money by making your restrooms more water-efficient. Keep reading to see how LADWP can help you save money through rebates and FREE items.

High-efficiency toilets

There are an estimated 27 million commercial toilets installed in the U.S., according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). About 26% of these have flush volumes ranging from 3 to 7 gallons per flush (gpf).

If you have older toilets in your facility, replacing them with new, high-efficiency models can lead to substantial water savings. High-efficiency toilets are available with manual or sensor-controlled flush valves. Commercial toilets that meet EPA's WaterSense® label criteria have a maximum flow rate of 1.28 gpf, 20% less than the federal standard.

Ultra low-flow urinals

Urinals can account for a significant portion of indoor water usage in commercial facilities. While the current federal standard for commercial urinals is 1.0 gallon per flush, ultra low-flow models are available that use one pint (0.125 gallons) or less. These fixtures use either a manual or sensor-operated flush valve.

Waterless urinals are also available. These units are able to operate without water, because they use a special trap with lightweight biodegradable oil that lets liquid pass through but prevents odor from escaping into the restroom.

Water-efficient faucets

Faucets are another significant energy user in commercial restrooms. The current federal efficiency standard for restroom faucets is 2.2 gallons per minute (gpm), and many older units use much more.

WaterSense-certified restroom faucets use a maximum of 1.5 gpm. By replacing standard faucets with WaterSense products, you can reduce faucet water consumption by at least 30%.

Sensor-operated faucets are also an option. They not only provide touchless convenience, but they potentially reduce consumption by eliminating water waste from faucets being left on when no one is using them.

Maintenance pays off

A leaking toilet can waste 21,600 gallons of water per month, costing your facility more than $2,000 a year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Leaky restroom faucets can also cost you.

Restroom leaks are not only costly, but they're a bad look for your facility. Fix leaks quickly and implement a preventive maintenance program to regularly check for leaks and other plumbing fixture malfunctions that can cost you.

LADWP helps you save money on water efficiency too!

We offer FREE faucet aerators, showerheads, and toilet leak detection dye tablets through our Free Water Conservation Items Program.

Through our Commercial SoCal Water $mart Water Rebate Program, save on:

• Premium High Efficiency Tank Toilet or Flushometer Valve/Bowl Combo Toilet Upgrade - $300 rebate (Must upgrade toilet from 1.6 gpf or greater to a 1.1 gpf or less.)
• Zero and Ultra Low Water Urinals - $500 rebate on urinals (0.0-0.125 gpf). (Must upgrade urinal from 1.5 gpf or greater.)
• Plumbing Flow Controls - for devices rated 2.0 gpm or less, used under sinks or before the showerhead. Plumbing flow controls are designed to maintain water pressure while reducing water flow in faucets and showers by up to 60%. There is a 20 device minimum with up to $5 rebate per device.

By combining targeted upgrades with sound restroom maintenance practices, you can save water, energy and money.