Question

Sara is working on making her house more eco-friendly. She has a number of upgrades she wants to make such as replacing her toilet that uses 5 gallons per flush with a new toilet that uses 1.2 gallons per flush. She also wants to replace a leaky faucet in her kitchen. Finally, she would like to replace her old washing machine which uses 35 gallons of water per load with a new high-efficiency model that only uses 10 gallons per load.

Which item should Sara replace first and why? Support your answer with evidence and reasoning. (4 points)

Answer 1

Sara should replace her toilet first due to the high frequency of usage and substantial reduction in water usage per flush, offering the greatest overall water savings in her home.

Step-by-step explanation:

Sara should consider the frequency of use and the amount of water saved per use when deciding which item to replace first in her quest to make her house more eco-friendly. The toilet is likely used multiple times daily, and upgrading from a unit that uses 5 gallons per flush to one that uses 1.2 gallons will have a significant impact by saving 3.8 gallons per flush. Given that toilet flushing is the largest indoor use of water in households, this could result in the greatest overall water savings.

Even though the washing machine uses more water per load than the old toilet does per flush, the frequency of use is typically less than that of the toilet. Meanwhile, fixing the leaky faucet is also important, as leaks can waste a substantial amount of water over time. In conclusion, based on water savings potential and usage frequency, the toilet replacement should be the highest priority.

Answer 2

Faucet

Step-by-step explanation:

Probably the leaky faucet....it leaks 24/7 even when she is not home and completely wastes the water....but it really depends on how fast it is leaking vs. how many flushes of the toilet per day Sara does.