DRAFT

MPWMD

HALF-GALLON PER FLUSH TOILET SURVEY RESULTS

 

 

Below are the statistics gathered from the water survey forms returned as of October 15, 2003.

Total: 259 Surveys mailed out.                Received: 87 answered surveys       Returned: 21

 

1.       Installation:  Years 1994 – 1999: 90 Surveys                          Years 2000 – 2003: 169 Surveys

Survey Received 1997 - 1999: 17            Survey Received 2000 - 2003: 60               Unknown: 10

2. Number of 2-liter toilets installed (87 responses):                                

                                                one       72                                                         36         41%

                                                two       72                                                         22         25%

two or more   72                                                25         29%

                                                no answer or project incomplete          72              4           5%

                                                                                                                                   

3. Project Type (87 responses):                                           

                                                remodel         72                                                31            36%

                                                addition              72                                            10            11%

                                                new                   72                                            36            41%

                                                remodel/addition 72                                              3            3%

                                                no answer or project incomplete          72              7            8%

                                                                                                                       

4. Ordering experience with the Microphor company (44 usable responses):         

                                                good                 72                                             20           45%

                                                fair                   72                                             16           36%

                                                poor                  72                                               6          14%

                                                bad                   72                                               2            5%

                                                no response                                                       31          

                                                toilets installed in house when purchased             12          

                                                                                                                       

5. Delivery of toilet(s) (43 usable responses):                       

                                                good                                                  72            23           53%

                                                fair                                                    72            15           35%

                                                poor                                                   72              5          12%

                                                bad                                                    72              0            0%

                                                no response                                                       29          

                                                toilets installed in house when purchased 15                                                                                                                    

6. Performance of toilet(s) (74 usable responses):                                

                                                good                  72                                            11           15%

                        fair                    72                                            24           32%

                                                poor                   72                                            20           27%

                        bad                    72                                            19           26%

                                                no answer or project incomplete                         10          

                                                                                                                       

7. Is the air compressor an inconvenience?  (74 usable responses)           

                                                yes                    72                                            57           77%

                                                no                      72                                            17           23%

                                                no response                                                       13          

8. Air compressor location (80 usable responses):                                

                                                garage               72                                            40           50%

                                                back of house     72                                              7           9%

                                                basement           72                                            22           27%

                                                closet                 72                                              3            4%

                                                other                  72                                              8          10%

                                                no response                                                       7        

 

9. More than one flush (79 usable responses):                                                   

                                                never    72                                                           3            4%

                                                occasionally      72                                             29           37%

                                                daily     72                                                         21           26%

                                                every time         72                                             26           33%

                                                no response                                                         8         

                                                                                                                       

10. 2-liter toilet works with satisfaction (81 usable responses):     

                                                yes       72                                                         10           12%

                                                usually  72                                                         20           25%

                                                occasionally                                                        8          10%

no         72                                                         43           53%

                                                no response                                                         6           

 

11. Required repairs (80 usable responses)                :              

                                                yes       72                                                         35           44%

                                                no         72                                                         45           56%

                                                no response                                                         7                                                                                                                               

12. Timely assistance (49 usable responses):                                          

                                                yes       72                                                         34           69%

                                                no         72                                                         14           29%

                                                self repaired      72                                               1            2%

                                                no repairs needed                                              15          

                                                no response                                                       22          

                                                not applicable                                                      1                                                                                                                               

13. Microphor Company customer service (37 respondents had experience with Microphor):                    

                                                good     72                                                           8          22%

                                                fair       72                                                         15           40%

                        poor      72                                                           8          22%

                                                bad       72                                                           6          16%

                                                didn't need                                                        25          

                                                no response                                                       25                                                                                                                    

14.  Recommendations (70 usable responses):                           

                                                yes       72                                                         25           36%

                        no         72                                                         45           64%

no answer                                                         17          

                                                                                              

15.  Change in the amount of water (56 usable responses):                    

                                                more water use 72                                             12           21%

                        less water use   72                                               4            7%

                                                same water use 72                                             40           71%

                                                no response                                                       19          

                                                just purchased, can't compare                               9           

                                                new construction, no history                                 3                                                                               

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                               

 


 

Summary of Majority of Written Responses to Half-Gallon Per Flush Toilet Survey

Prepared for the August 28, 2003 Board Meeting

 

 

 

SUBSTANCE of comments

 

 

 

 

Odor

37

 

32%

 

Noisy-toilet or compressor

37

 

54%

 

Power outages-no toilet use

37

 

19%

 

Cost/installation/repairs/damages/plumbers

37

 

62%

 

Splashes/waste spill out/backup in lines

37

 

41%

 

Requires more than one flush

37

 

51%

 

Embarrassment to guests/not user friendly

37

 

30%

 

 

 

 

NOTE:  One positive comment was received after this draft document was prepared for the August 28, 2003. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary of Quotes from Survey responses:

 

32% of respondents experienced problems with odors from the toilet.

 

“Terrible smells; bad odor when flushing toilet; constant back odor; sewer smell; stinky; they smell; toilet smells bad with odor; smells like sewage; smelly!”

 

54% of respondents complained that toilets and compressors were noisy.

 

“Compressor is noisy; the noise is intolerable; children are fearful of using them; compressor is a nightmare; you can hear it cycling; it goes off in the middle of the night; noise is unacceptable in a quiet neighborhood; compressor is a nuisance; compressor is loud and noisy; toilet is noisy; it’s very loud, my kids are afraid. It scares hell out of me too!”

 

62% of respondents sited the cost of toilet installation, repairs to the toilet, plumbers or that damages caused by the toilet was high.

 

“We experienced numerous problems with leaks; a seal was defective and water soaked in to the drywall; repairs paid at our cost; costly because of the frequency of calling a plumber for repair; very expensive for installation and maintenance, two toilets and compressor were $2,600, that didn’t include installation; far more expensive to maintain than regular toilets; these are more expensive to purchase; we spent thousands of dollars on repairs, plumbers don’t want to have anything to do with these toilets; they are very expensive and we feel we were forced to buy them; toilet leaked and caused damage to the floors and carpet; these toilets cost six times the amount of a regular toilet; I spent approximately $10,00 to install these toilets.”

 

41% of respondents indicated problems with the toilets splashing out contents of bowl and back up of sewer lines.

 

“The lid must be closed when flushing because contents splash out; lid must be down to avoid spraying of contents; toilet sprays occasionally above the rim; every flush results in a spit back of the contents; my septic system has backed up in my house; splashes water onto the floor; our plumber suspects that our sewage lines are negatively affected.”

 

51% of respondents stated the necessity to flush the toilet more than once.

 

“They require multiple flushes for minimum results; please offer an alternative that is more reliable and uses less water; must flush two or three times every flush; flushing twice costs any savings that might have been gained; I believe I am using more water than I did with my 1.6 gallon toilets; takes more than one flush to work properly; we often have to flush three or four times to get rid of the smell; I flush at least four times per use; since I flush two to four times, this is the same water use as a low-flow toilet.”

 


30% of respondents experienced embarrassment when guests used the toilets.

 

“Toilet is not user friendly and an embarrassment to my guests who are unaware of its problems; having to explain to guests about the sound and frequent problems is embarrassing; embarrassment to our house, our guest, and us.”

 

19% of respondents affirmed that the toilets did not work during electrical power outages.

 

“During power outages our household cannot flush the toilet; we’re concerned that if there is en electricity failure or cutoff, the toilet will not work; any power outages, and we don’t have use of the toilet; unreliable when power is out; if you lose electricity, you have non-functioning toilets; if power is lost, the residence does not have the use of the toilets.”

 

 

 

 

 

U:\staff\word\boardpacket\2003\2003boardpacket\20031030\PublicHearings\12\item12_exh12a.doc