Green Kitchens & Baths<br>WEB EXCLUSIVE!<br>The History of Water Conservation In American Toilets
R. Bruce Martin of Intertech Corp. and the inventor of pressure flush technology, provides a summary of water conservation developments dating back to the 1920s.
Prior to 1970, there was little concern for water conservation in the United States. Only when shortages started to become significant did actions to conserve start. Two kinds of shortages appeared -- insufficient water availability, and where water was not short, inadequate waste treatment capacity.
At that time, Europe was much more conscious of water conservation. The typical European water closet (WC) used between six and nine liters [1-1/2 to 2 gallons-per-flush or “gpf”] or about 30 percent to 40 percent less than the typical toilet sold through the United States and Canada. Major differences existed between European and North American (NA) WC styles - the biggest seeable difference being that European WCs had very small water-spots. As a result, they were much more susceptible to staining than toilets installed here.