Battleford Toilet Debate Goes in the Can

By Darren Bernhardt, TheStarPhoenix.com
Published: Friday, December 07, 2007
Reprinted with permission

The Town of Battleford, once the seat of government in the Canadian West, is looking to take back its throne - so to speak.

Mayor Chris Odishaw wants to replace every civic, commercial and residential toilet in town with water-miser potties. It's an idea that could save millions of dollars.

Dual-flush toilets allow users to use less water for smaller er, . . . deposits. A standard toilet uses about 13 to 18 litres per flush, whereas the dual-flush technology gives users the choice of a short flush (three litres) or long flush (six litres).*

Along with the toilets, Odishaw proposes to replace everyone's shower heads and bathroom tap aerators with low-flow models. A standard showerhead uses about 20 litres of water per minute, whereas a water-efficient one drains about seven litres per minute. Odishaw estimates about 3,000 retrofits would be done, all at absolutely no cost to anyone but the town.

"We would provide everything, including the installation," Odishaw said. "This is about saving money, not making it."

If everything goes according to plan, Battleford could declare itself as the most water-efficient community in North America, said Odishaw. Of course, it could also become widely known for its thrones instead of its environmental conscience. That's a chance Odishaw doesn't mind taking.

"I want to create a better place for my children and one day, my grandchildren. Saving water is important and there's no reason why Battleford shouldn't lead by example," he said. "If that means having a few laughs, that's fine. I laugh about it all the time."

He's been photographed posing on one of the sample toilets provided by a consultant. There's Odisahw holding a newspaper, his pants around his ankles. He also held a press conference in the john so broadcast outlets, particularly radio, could get the flushing sound.

"It's a s----- job but someone's gotta do it," he said. "Really, it's about something we all do many times a day. It's funny but the
benefits are real and we need to awaken people to it. Stop flushing money away."

Not only would the town of about 3650 people save upward of 40 per cent in water waste, its population could grow 30 per cent without a nickel spent on water plant expansion. Less demand on the present system means it could serve more people, Odishaw said. In dollar terms, that's a savings of $2 million to $3 million.

But the toilets cost a bundle, about $300 each. Working with an environmental consultant out of Vancouver, and a distributor who provided six sample toilets for the town, Odishaw has worked a deal that would send a container-load of the commodes to the town for a bargain price. That would enable the town to install every single toilet for $1 million, including $300,000 in labour costs to plumbers. The distributor is hoping the example set by Battleford will result in more business, said Odishaw.

"This is the pilot project to show it can work, then present the numbers to Saskatchewan and Western Canada and the world," he said.

Last spring, the Ship & Anchor Pub in Calgary replaced inefficient toilets and taps with water-miser ones. Since then, water consumption has dropped 85 per cent, according to Paul Nash, engineer and principal of Alpine Water Management, the company working with Odishaw. The annual water savings are equivalent to what 40 new Calgary houses consume. The money saved has paid for the installations in six months, a return on investment of 200 per cent, noted Nash.

Though he's been cautioned that some businesses might not like the idea of the town stepping on their toes, Odishaw is cognizant of who might be miffed. He's proposing to pay plumbers $100 per install, including toilet, shower head and aerator. The local hardware store (there's one in town) would supply a lineup of toilets that includes the free model and five upgraded models. Residents would choose one (paying extra for a higher-end one) and the store would fax the info to the participating plumbers, who would arrange the install.

The old toilets would get rounded up and crushed into tiny porcelain bits, then used as part of road construction aggregate.

But the plans aren't quite in the can yet. He is still hammering out the final figures before going to the provincial government for a possible grant. Then he will present it all to council for a vote.

dbernhardt@sp.canwest.com

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