New flush toilets to be fit for water conservation

By Kim Bo-eun

Putting a brick inside a toilet’s water tank is a common way of saving water, but this will no longer be necessary with flushing lavatories located in new buildings.

From next month, builders will have to install water-saving toilets and faucets in new buildings to follow the revision of the Waterworks Law, the Ministry of Environment said Monday.

Those who do not follow the new rules face fines of up to 3 million won ($2,580).

The amount of water flushed after using a toilet should be reduced from 15 liters to 6 liters. For urinals the amount will be halved from 4 liters to 2 liters.

Households could save 37 tons of water every year with new toilets that flush less, the ministry said. If 5 percent of households change their toilets as new houses are constructed, the nation could save 31.34 million tons per year, the ministry added.

“We have managed to strengthen the water-saving rules, because of technological breakthroughs,” a ministry official said.

In addition, when using faucets and shower heads, the maximum amount to be discharged per minute will be reduced from 9.5 to 7.5 liters and 7.5 liters to 5 liters.

However, toilets which have water tanks as opposed to those that don’t will have a grace period until Jan. 1, 2014 to reduce water use to 7 liters, because manufacturers need sufficient time to prepare for compliance with the changed rules.

Different standards for toilets and faucets that have existed for different types of businesses such as accommodation facilities or public bathhouses have been abolished, and instead there will be a single set standard, that only varies according to product types.

“We hope to be able to cut down on water consumption in preparation for a drought and a surge in water use in the summer through these measures,” said the official.