How much water do you flush down the toilet each year? That depends on the toilet, but on average, each of us flushes four or five times per day, which is over a thousand times a year. Traditional toilets use roughly 13 liters per flush, so that adds up to over 20,000 liters per year per person. That is huge!

Luckily, modern, low-flush, high-efficiency or dual-flush toilets have been invented and can lower the average flush to five liters without impacting performance. Now, that is science and engineering in action!

Why does water usage matter? In areas with abundant water, it is easy to take the water cycle for granted, even though it is more complicated than it seems. There are many stages of collection, treatment, conveyance, distribution, end-use preparation, reconditioning, and release. Each step consumes energy and produces waste. By lowering your water usage, you decrease the demand you put on the entire system and reduce the effects on the environment. Plus, it saves precious resources, which is particularly important where water is less plentiful.

Also, water will become even more valuable with the predicted heat waves coming to many regions due to climate change. It is better to start protecting it now than scrambling to acquire it later. And by reducing your flow, more water stays in the rivers and lakes, supporting other animals and plants who also need it.