Toilet pellets may help us flush less and save water
A pellet that dissolves in the toilet, turning the water blue and masking odor after urinating, could help us all save water, according to a first-of-its-kind study from the University of Surrey.
A study from the University of Surrey has found that a pellet, which dissolves in the toilet, turning the water blue and masking odor after urinating, could help households save water. The research involved 20 UK adults who agreed to use the commercially available product Wizso for a week, either before or after flushing. Participants reported that the blue water was reassuring, similar to toilet tank blocks and bleach.
However, the sight of menstrual blood led to automatic flushing despite participants' environmental intentions. The study found that social expectations and the fear of being judged for not flushing were bigger hurdles than the habit of flushing itself. Almost a quarter of domestic water use in the UK is due to toilet flushing, with each flush using between 4 and 13 liters of drinking-quality water. Reducing flushing by one-third could make unflushed toilets appear cleaner and help conserve water.
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