Final answer:
The town of Centerville will save 120,000 gallons of water daily by installing devices that reduce water use by 1.5 gallons per toilet flush, significantly impacting water conservation during a severe drought.
Step-by-step explanation:
The probable outcome of the town's new policy in Centerville requiring toilets to be fitted with a device that saves 1.5 gallons per flush would lead to a significant reduction in water usage. Given that an average person flushes the toilet eight times a day, and the town has a population of 10,000, we can calculate the total water savings. Each person would save 1.5 gallons x 8 flushes = 12 gallons per day. For the entire town, 12 gallons x 10,000 people = 120,000 gallons saved per day. Over time, this conservation effort would greatly reduce the water demand of the town, helping to alleviate the effects of the severe drought.