Toilets account for 30 per cent of your home’s water usage. High-efficiency toilets, also called eco-efficient or low-flow toilets, remove waste through water velocity rather than volume.
Options include:

• High-efficiency toilets, which use 4.8 litres of water per flush or less.
• Dual-flush toilets which have two settings, one for light flushes and one for heavy flushes.

What to Look For

• Compare toilet flush ratings. The lower the rating the less water it uses per flush.
• Consider a pressure-assist toilet if using minimal water is a priority. These toilets have a separate tank that holds water under pressure and releases it with great velocity when you flush.

Things to Consider

• If your home has a dual flush toilet, use the low-volume flush mode as much as possible. Experiment to see how much waste the low flush can handle.
• Cheaper toilets don’t have a powerful flush and the working parts tend to be of lower quality.
• Consider financing your home energy improvements through the City of Toronto’s Home Energy Loan Program (HELP).
• Get an EnerGuide home evaluation to help you understand how your home uses energy and identify all improvement opportunities.
• Check with your municipality, utility or retailer to see if rebates are available.

Cost

$150 to $3,000

Source: Natural Resources Canada