Low Flow Plumbing Fixtures

Low Flow Plumbing Fixtures

A revelation has been bestowed upon us, “Low flow plumbing fixtures”. These are basically fixtures fitted onto sanitary and waste appliances which help to save water abundantly. These basic fixtures are simple, cost effective and so environmentally friendly that even mother earth has them fitted in her house.

What is it?

Low flow plumbing fixtures are the same as all other fixtures, but with the exception of being designed to compensate for inlet pressure and thus by doing so also regulate the amount of water allowed to pass through the appliance. Low flow plumbing fixtures save vast amounts of water compared to conventional fixtures (Home Innovation Research Labs, n.d.). They include shower heads, toilets and faucet aerators. 

Low-flow toilets use a maximum of 1.6 gallons of water per flush

Shower Heads - Low-flow shower heads use approximately 2.5 gallons of water per minute 

Faucet aerators - Low-flow faucet aerators use approximately 2.2 gallons of water per minute

These fixtures have been developed to save water usage compared to the original conventional fixtures without affecting the original outflow (Home Innovation Research Labs, n.d.). This saves the home owner money and the amount of fresh water used (Landman, 2010) (plumbing technology of the future). Low flow plumbing fixtures can be installed by the home owner but it is advised that a qualified plumber is the one who does all the installations. Many low flow items can be found in your local hardware store and many toilets today are low flow toilets. The installation of low flow plumbing is no bigger difference than the installation of conventional fixtures, so the majority of these fixtures need no special fittings or connections (plumbing technology of the future). The benefits of low flow plumbing are not only beneficial to the home owner, but are also beneficial to the environment.

Low Flow Fixture Benefits

·         Perfect for Retrofitting

·         Low flow toilets can save more than 20,000 gallons of water per year for a four member family

·         Available in a wide range of colours and styles.

·         Water efficient

·         Saves money in the long run

·         Saves time on tank/system refill

·         Flush only uses 6.06 litres as opposed to a scary 13.25 litres with standard water closets

Did You Know?

If all households in the US installed water efficient fixtures and appliances, a whopping 11356230000000 litres or 3 trillion gallons of water per year which equates to $18 Billion a year, or R 217 145 700 000.00

As shown in a study in a study done by the US EPA.

How does it look?

You are probably wondering what such appliances look like?

Well the majority of you have probably already seen them. 

A dual flush toilet/WC, yes that one with the #1 or #2 button on top

Those taps that make the water all foamy for a few seconds

Urinals that have timed flushes

And those big round shower heads that spray water in droplets

These are all typical examples of low flow plumbing fixtures.

Low flow fixture manufacturers vary on their technology used, but they can provide with the same results, and new mechanisms are being developed to be used with low flow fixtures.

Did you know?

If one out of every 100 American homes were retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, that would save about 100 million kWh of electricity per year—avoiding 80,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions: equivalent to removing nearly 15,000 automobiles from the road for one year. 

Conclusion

THERE IS NO PLANET B, hence conservation of our natural resources is of utmost importance and this can be easily achieved by low flow plumbing fixtures. Low flow plumbing fixtures is an economical, easy and cost effective way of being environmentally friendly. Don’t get left behind, follow the flow and switch to low flow plumbing fixtures. 

By: The Quality Surveyors

D.H. van Rooyen        15106625 (Group Leader)

U.M. Holtzhausen       15124275

J.D. Gold                   15119310

M. Moola                    15191380