‘Phantom Flush' In Public Restrooms May Be Hurting Conservation

Some Californians are worried that sensor-operated toilets in offices and public restrooms may hinder their water conservation goals.

“While consumers are busy investing in low-flow toilets and showerheads at home, malfunctioning automatic plumbing fixtures in offices, malls and other public buildings are busy wasting water,” The San Diego Union Tribune reported.

“Toilets flush when we don’t need them to flush, and sinks keep running after we’ve left the room. The no-touch plumbing fixtures that were the answer to America’s germaphobe prayers now look like water-wasting villains of California’s nightmare drought scenario,” the report said.

Automatic toilets seemed like good sense when they first came out in the 1990s. They popped up in high-traffic restrooms because they are more hygienic, but they often malfunction after being in use for a while.

Government data helps demonstrate how much water they waste. "Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates the U.S. has 27M [automatic flush] toilets installed in its restrooms. Many of the older models still in service use 3.5 gallons per flush or more – well beyond the current federal standard of 1.6 gallons. But even newer, more water-efficient models have a reputation for the so-called 'phantom flush,' which can waste gallons of water at every restroom visit," The Guardian reported.

John Koeller, principal at Maximum Performance Testing, a Yorba Linda-based water-efficiency firm, explained the problem and its impact on California.

“It’s not really something that has been addressed,” Koeller said, per the Union Tribune. “We have all these new regulations, but some of the fundamentals are being avoided. You can ratchet down the amount of water being flushed every time, and that’s great. But if the toilet flushes multiple times while you’re in the stall, aren’t you defeating the purpose? It appears nobody is really looking into that.”

The Kohler plumbing fixture company offers a “wave” technology that only flushes if a person moves their hand above a sensor. There may also be policy option for addressing the problem, according to the Union Tribune.

“Beginning next year, new standards from the California Energy Commission mandate that all commercial and residential toilets sold cannot use more than 1.28 gallons per flush. Urinals cannot use more than 0.125 gallons per flush, and public lavatory faucets cannot use more than 0.5 gallons per minute. However, there are currently no water-saving standards when it comes to sensor accuracy,” the report said.

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