RECOMMENDATIONS

• The water industry should collectively press through the ASME standards process for toilet designs which are not alterable. This means casting toilet dams as part of the tank if a toilet dam is used. This would also mean using tanks with low-consumption capacity that do not require an early-close flapper. Toilets with specialized flush mechanisms should be made so a 3.5 gallon per flush replacement mechanism will not fit into a toilet that was designed to flush 1.6 gallons.

• The water industry should not offer rebates or direct install programs which include toilets with alterable designs or with specialized parts for which replacements may not be readily available later in the life of the toilet.

• We endorse MWD’s recommendations that a warning be included with new toilet packaging about use of halogenating bowl cleaners and that a program be established to inform all homeowners about the possible effect of halogenating bowl cleaners.

• Attempts should be made to replicate this study and confirm its findings with other populations of aging low-consumption toilets. One example of a much larger population of similar-age and model low-consumption toilets are those installed under Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s toilet rebate program.