Posted on 10/14/2010 6:56:01 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
NEW YORK -- Number one, or number two?
Share 42 Comments Under a law passed by the City Council today, new toilets will have to be high water efficient or "dual-flush," which allow users to choose between a high pressure flush for solid waste, and a low-pressure flush for liquid.
The law, which significantly changes the city plumbing code starting July 2012, applies the same strict water efficiency standards to plumbing fixtures like showerheads, urinals and sink faucets.
The package of water conservation bills also requires water fountains have separate spouts for drinking and for filling water containers; commercial buildings install alarms and sub-meters to detect water leaks; and limits the use of "once-through" cooling systems, such as those used to cool ice-making machines, walk-in coolers and older medical x-ray and laser equipment.
Advocates say the bills, part of a comprehensive package aimed at making buildings more energy efficient, could save the city 60 billion gallons of water per year once most of the older equipment is replaced. But some fear the measures - which, in some cases add 50 percent to the cost of fixtures - would just throw money down the drain.
New Yorkers use approximately 126 gallons of water per capita, per day - though residential use accounts for about 70 gallons per person, per day, according to figures from the city's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
A study by the non-profit Urban Green Council estimates that simply by changing some of these commonly used fixtures could knock that down by 5-7 gallons per person, per day. More efficient cooling systems could potentially save between 150,000 and 200,000 gallons per year, it found. And changing water fountains would also encourage the use of reusable water containers, thus saving the city millions in the cost of recycling plastic bottles, the study said.
Council Minority Leader James Oddo (R-Mid-Island), who voted against the water fountain and "toilet" bill, along with colleague Vincent Ignizio (R-South Shore), said some of the measures reach too far.
"When does it stop? Does it stop when we micromanage every minute facet of our lives? I want people to drink water as much as the next guy, but to make it part of a law so that someone does not have to tilt a water container to fill it up?" Oddo said.
Ignizio also noted that New Yorkers have been paying higher water bills despite conserving water - consumption has been cut by more than 7 percent in 7 years, while water rates have nearly doubled in 10 years.
Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) defended the legislation, saying the common design of water fountains do not meet the current needs of water conservation and consumption.
"Believe it or not, it is actually not easy to take a water bottle and refill it. If you try to do it, the way the spigot works, you probably get water all over yourself, and two, you end up wasting a lot of water," Ms. Quinn said.
The water conservation laws will apply to all new construction and major renovations, or whenever a homeowner needs a Department of Buildings (DOB) permit to replace a bathroom or kitchen fixtures.
Dual flush toilets are commonly available in Europe, but do not currently comply with the city's plumbing code. According to some estimates, dual flush toilets cost about 5 percent more than others, on average. A comparison study by Urban Green Council found that dual-flush toilets result in 23-32 percent less water usage than conventional fixtures and the average water savings from replacing existing plumbing fixtures with dual-flush fixtures was 10,600 gallons per year per home.
and yeah , I know this is going on in new York!
What distinguishes an incandescent socket from a CFL socket? (Serious question...)
“When does it stop? Does it stop when we micromanage every minute facet of our lives?”
Nope! Once they get into every aspect of your life they’ll find new ways, new mandates, new obligations, new punishments for noncompliance. Think of the future as a boot, endlessly trampling a human face.
According to this site :
Incandescent light bulbs work by heating a tungsten filament, or wire, until it glows. This is what produces the light you see. Unfortunately, 90% of the energy used to generate that light is wasted as heat, making incandescent bulbs a very inefficient way to light your home.
CFLs, on the other hand, create a chemical reaction among gasses located inside the glass tube, causing phosphors to illuminate.ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs provide bright, warm light and use 75% less energy, produce 75% less heat, and lasts up to 10 times longer.
I have and use both types of bulbs.
You implied that wiring/sockets for the two types were not the same. Again, What is the difference?
http://www.beaconlighting.com.au/energy_faqs_answers.php
EXCERPT
Q: Can I replace incandescent lights with CFLs?
A: CFLs are available to fit most of the common household light fittings but not all. New CFLs are being developed and tested for other lighting applications and will gradually become available.
Q: Do I need to rewire my house to accommodate CFLs?
A: Incandescent lamps can be directly replaced with CFLs, however replacement of low voltage halogen downlights requires the services of an electrician.
Q: Are CFL’s compatible with my current light fittings and what base connections do they come in?
A: In most cases you will be able to directly replace all globes throughout your home with CFLs, they do come in a wide range of base types including SBC (B15), SES (E14), ES (E27) and BC (B22), they are also now available in GU10 and GX53 to replace 240 volt downlights and spotlights.
However, there is currently no direct replacement for the low voltage (12 volt) downlight globe as a CFL, we anticipate this will happen in the short future and for now we recommend using 35 watt IRC lamps from a reputable brand. The 35watt IRC will give you the same amount of light as your current 50 watt globe, and will save 30% off your lighting electricity costs. So it’s very easy to make savings on electricity and greenhouse gas emissions today.
Q: Is the mercury found in CFLs dangerous?
A: The trace amounts of mercury sealed within glass tubing in CFLs is not dangerous to users when the CFL is in tact or in use because no mercury is released.
However mercury is a toxic substance therefore it’s important that CFLs are handled carefully and disposed of responsibly.
Q: What if I break a CFL?
A: If you break a CFL you can release mercury into the atmosphere. Gently sweep up the glass fragments and use a damp cloth to pick up fine particles. If the breakage is on carpet, use sticky tape then a damp cloth to clean up the debris prior to vacuuming. Place all debris into a sealed plastic bag for disposal and ventilate the room where possible.
Crap in ziplocks and mail them to the City Council!!!
Since when is there 2 kinds of waste in a URINAL?
I still contend that Old Man Kohler did all the engineering & R & D on toilets when he was funning his foundry.
Making decisions on paper doesn’t change basic physics.
They are forgetting to tell you that a source of the compressed air for a faster flush is also required. Aren’t you really eager to have an AIR COMPRESSOR inside your house/apartment?
I still contend that Old Man Kohler did all the engineering & R & D on toilets when he was funning his foundry.
Making decisions on paper doesn’t change basic physics.
They are forgetting to tell you that a source of the compressed air for a faster flush is also required. Aren’t you really eager to have an AIR COMPRESSOR inside your house/apartment?
Your decision. You're using a gallon of water each time, so when you flush after every use, it starts to add up. This is especially so when you're in desert country or anywhere you pump your own water. In rainy areas I wouldn't worry about it.
Out here in Arizona, even though we're on a regular system, the "yellow" gets pretty bright - until the wife finds out. ;-)
“wasted as heat,”
Nope! At night and in the winter when it’s dark and you have the lights on, that heat warms the room. Incandescents make sense for residences. Electric heat is very efficient since all losses show up as heat.
The lights that illuminate the White House at night waste elecricity and heat, though- it goes into the air, causing global warming and it melts the polar bears.
This is a drop in the bucket (pun intended) compared to the water lost because the tunnels bringing it from upstate are ancient. The city estimates it loses 20% of it in transmission. All this tinkering will be for naught when the 3rd tunnel is complete.
This is a drop in the bucket (pun intended) compared to the water lost because the tunnels bringing it from upstate are ancient. The city estimates it loses 20% of it in transmission. All this tinkering will be for naught when the 3rd tunnel is complete.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.