Is you toilet running?

[Amelia]

AP - Saturday, September 1, 2007

As part of a promotion by Denver Water to promote awareness of fixing running toilets, a running toilet is tackled by an unidentified security man during the fourth quarter of Colorado's 31-28 overtime victory over Colorado State in a football game in Denver on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2007. Denver Water is sponsoring several promotions around the city to promote water conservation. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

[Dr. Shane]

Most running toilets are very easy to fix with a US$10-$15 kit available at any hardware store and some grocery stores. The insides of a toilet normally need to be replaced every 1- 3 years. That is why most commercial toilets have flush valves instead of tanks with flaps - they are a lot less maintenance. Tanks are available with flush valves for residential toilets but they are expensive and require good water pressure.

I have a leaking toilet that needs to be replaced. I bought it new and installed it myself (that's the problem). I messed up the seal between the stool and the tank so it has leaked very slowly since the day I first installed it. Replacing it is way down on my list of things to do. My other toilet doesn't leak but the insides need to be changed again because it is no longer flushing correctly.

[Gregory Matthews]

The ultimate fix is a toilet/urnial that does not use water.

Yes, they exist.

Some local codes to not allow such to be installed.

I work in a hospital that recently installed some urinals that do not use water. I hve been told that the local code does not allow that. I do not know. But, because I work in a Federal hospital, the local code did not govern.

By the way, those urinals are working fine without complaint, and have done so for quite some time.

[Dr. Shane]

I am familiar with waterless urinals but not toilets. I had not heard of local codes forbidding them but I had heard of local unions fighting them as they reduce the amount of work for union plumbers. I am familiar with toilets that use a 1/2" drain pipe instead of the standard 3" or 4". But these are quite expensive.

The reality is the amount of water used by residences is minor compared to what is used by agriculture and industry. In drought-stricken areas, saving water by restrictions on residences is kind of like saving pennies to buy a new car. The solution is going to be in restricting agriculture and industry but that is going to cost jobs. So restricting residences provides a feel-good measure while the water supplies continue to dwindle.

[Amelia]

There are also composting toilets and incinerating toilets. Yes, both of these can be used in the home.

[Gail]

There are also composting toilets and incinerating toilets. Yes, both of these can be used in the home.

*puts up her hand*

I've used one! I've used one! The hostel I used to stay at on Salt Spring Island has a composting toilet for those who spend their night in either the tree houses, the tepee or the gypsy caravan.

They have a little ladle in a bucket of peat moss right beside it and you are supposed to add a spoonful to the pile when you are done. No flushing, no smell. Amazing.

Salt Spring Island has a lack of fresh water so the inhabitants, who are very Earth-friendly to begin with, just work around it. This is one way they do this.

[Neil D]

Quote:

Salt Spring Island has a lack of fresh water so the inhabitants, who are very Earth-friendly to begin with, just work around it. This is one way they do this.

Amazing....Where is this "Salt Spring Island"? In Canada, I suppose, right?

[Gail]

It's in between Vancouver and Vancouver Island, in the Strait of Georgia. It's part of an archapelago that extends down into Washington.

[olger]

Running toilet.!!! :)

[Dottie]

Question--

doesn't a urinal that uses no water become quite dirty and smelly? My boy has a urinal in his room that smells if he doesn't empty it every day (long story).

Also, I understand that the newer toilets that use a lot of pressure but little water produce a mist in the booth that is very likely to have more e. coli floating around in the air than the old-fashioned type.

By the way, when I was a youngster, we had a toilet that used no water. It was in a little building out in the woods.

[Gregory Matthews]

No, they do not become dirty and smelly.

I am not talking about a llittle plastic urnial like one uses in a hospital bed.

I am talking about a large one mounted on the wall of a restroom. It looks just like a regular urinal, except it is not attached to a water pipe, and therefore does not have a mechanism to flush.

In this type, the urine flows into a cartridge that chemically treats, processes, does who knows what to the urine. Occasionally I think, the cartridge needs to be changed.