As it turns out, the much maligned 1.6 gpf water closet has been a major factor in continuing to make this taken-for-granted scenario possible, according to a recent industry report on water usage throughout the nation. Just who would have thought that the two gallons of water saved per flush could postpone or avoid almost a quarter of a trillion dollars worth of public works projects needed to ensure our country’s supply of safe drinking water?
“Making efficient use of water also means making efficient use of the dollars needed to pump, transport, treat and distribute drinking water, together with the dollars needed to collect and treat the resulting wastewater,” the report concludes. “Water may be abundant in many areas, but dollars for water and wastewater infrastructure can be scarce in all 50 states.”