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This math activity explores water use & conservation by taking a closer look at TOILETS!
Grade Level: 4 - 8
Time: 15-30 minutes
Learning Standards: ESS3.C, ETS1.B, MP.1, RF4, SL1
Leading up to the Math
Leading up to the Math
To do the math, you will have to determine how much water your toilet flushes, and the number of times you flush per day.
Known as "GPF" (gallons per flush), toilet flush amounts are typically labeled between the tank and the seat. The seat cover will need to be lowered in order to see it.
Then determine the number of flushes, this might be simplified by going throughout a normal day and asking questions about the day.
When you wake up?
Before leaving for school or work?
Between arriving at school or work and lunch?
At or just after lunch?
After lunch but before leaving from school or work?
As soon as you get home from school or work?
Before dinner?
During a commercial watching television?
Bed time?
In the middle of the night?
Once you know both, you can begin the math!
Click the box above to open the calculator.
Toilet Math Data Sheet.pdfOr you can get an editable sheet by clicking the button above. It will force you to make a copy of the document before you save.
What we are Learning?
What we are Learning?
Toilets use a good amount of water
Utilizing low flow toilets or duel flush toilets can significantly reduce water use over time
Materials Needed
Materials Needed
Calculator
Pencil
Data Sheet
How is it done?
How is it done?
Using the information on the data sheets, determine how much water was used per toilet flush and then try and determine an average based on the abilities of the group or individual.
This may mean that you eliminate fractions or decimals. Then start the discussion of how much water is actually needed to flush and if a higher efficiency toilet would be beneficial.
For example if the toilet flushes 1.6 gallons and can be retrofitted with a dual flush that uses .8 for liquid and paper, 1.2 for solids and paper. Most people will only need the higher amount for one use, and most people flush approximately 10x per day for a total of 8.4 using the 1.6 model x 10 the amount jumps to 16 gallons per day for a 7.6 gallon difference. Multiplied by 365, there is a 2,774 gallon difference per person per year.
You can also go retro to the toilets from history with a maximum of 10 gallons, then 7, 5, 3 and 1.6. This can be an exponential number by including members of a household, classroom, school, community.
Keep in mind that this would decrease the energy needed to make the water potable, travel to the residence where the brushing would take place, and the energy for the wastewater to be cleaned.
It is important to recognize that even though the water goes down the drain clean when not in use, it still had to be ready for use at al times and it becomes dirty or unusable as soon as it hits the drain.
What to Expect?
What to Expect?
Data will vary
Restroom use outside of the home or in a different restroom in the home may skew data.
Dual flush toilets will skew data.
History of Toilets
History of Toilets
Before indoor plumbing, people would have to visit an outhouse to get rid of body wastes. This required the user to go outside, regardless of the weather. Outhouses were essentially just sheds with a bench seat and a hole that it sat upon. If the residents filled the hole to capacity, a new hole was dug, the shed moved and the old hole filled. Just imagine what that smelled like in the summertime! To avoid going outdoors some people had indoor systems that allowed for the user to have some comforts, however someone would have to empty it regularly to keep the odors under control. Chamber pots, or the containers that were stored under these units would have to be emptied and in some cities and towns it was not uncommon for them to be emptied right into the streets! The sanitary conditions of many cities and towns was appalling. As indoor plumbing became available, it was necessary for there to be enough force to rid the "bowl" of the toilet efficiently, so many of the tanks were located up high so that gravity would take care of business. As toilets got more modernized the tanks were lowered but many of them used as many as 10 gallons per flush! Today most toilets are low flow. Depending on the regulations of your state and municipality the capacity usually runs about 1.6 gallons. High efficiency toilets with a dual flush can flush as little as .5 gallons on the low setting. The use of water for toilet flushing was so taxing on the water systems during times of drought that in the 1980's then mayor of NYC Ed Koch told New Yorker's "If it is yellow, let it mellow, if it is brown, flush it down!"
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