Ever heard that phrase: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down?”
What does it mean? Think the contents of a toilet bowl. And now that Gov. Jerry Brown ordered mandatory water restrictions in California, it’s got people thinking seriously about that phrase and various other ways they can conserve water.
But your bathroom visit doesn’t have to include that phrase. At least not in Santa Maria, where there’s a water-conscientious plumber roaming the streets.
Curt Lanini, owner of Curt’s Plumbing and Heating, has witnessed the changes in plumbing technology over the last 25 years. Back in the day, he said, toilets used a lot of water—more than three gallons per flush. For a drought-stricken state, that’s too much. These days, according to Lanini, the standard household toilet uses 1.28 gallons per flush. Seeing the trend move toward ultra-high efficient plumbing appliances, Lanini sells half-gallon flush toilets to facilitate conservation efforts.
Lanini became cognizant of water use last year while vacationing at his home on Lake Nacimiento. Each year for the last three years, he watched the level of the lake decrease. Then it hit him: He needed to find a way to save water.
And with a record low snowpack in the Sierra Nevada following a lack of precipitation over the winter, Lanini knew it was going to be a big deal.
“What if it came to where we didn’t have water to flush our toilets?” Lanini said. “If anybody is going to be in the forefront of this, it’s got to be the plumber.”
It’s a question worth considering. Luckily, we’re not at that point yet, but could it happen?
In October 2014, Lanini attended a weeklong class put on by GreenPlumbers, an internationally accredited plumbers training organization based in Australia, to learn about the benefits of water conservation and how to reduce greenhouse gases within his trade.
What he learned changed the way he did his job. Upon returning to Santa Maria, Lanini began informing customers of the water efficient products, including toilets and showerheads. Demand for those low-flow toilets is on the rise in Santa Maria, Lanini said, and he’s having a hard time keeping up.
The toilets are a little bit more expensive than your standard porcelain palace, starting at around $100 more. But Lanini said the extra cost could be reimbursed if customers take advantage of a state rebate program.
With the toilets installed, Lanini said customers should be able to save more than 3,400 gallons of water per year—that is if they don’t flush more than once per use.
“Nobody can be perfectly green,” Lanini said. “We drive cars; we throw trash away. We try to recycle, or drive electric cars.”
But it’s a start. Lanini also conducts water audits.
Lanini is on a mission to make Santa Maria and its residents more water efficient. Aside from that, he hopes other plumbers will catch up with this trend.
“I feel that other plumbers should be educated,” Lanini said.
For more water saving tips or to get a water efficient toilet installed, give Lanini a shout at 481-9992. For more information, visit Curt’s website, curtsplumbing.com, or find him on Facebook.
Biz Highlights
• With mandatory water restrictions hitting California residents, plush, green lawns may be a thing of the past. To help with the transition, the Santa Maria Public Library is holding a Water Wise Landscaping Workshop on May 30. From 9 a.m. to noon, learn how to build a living “soil sponge” and water-efficient irrigation techniques. The workshop is targeted at residents, homeowners, and businesses and is intended to teach the basics of landscaping in times of drought. The library is located at 421 McClelland St. The workshops are free, but registration is required. To register, visit waterwisesb.org/workshops.
• May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Walmart in Lompoc is offering free screenings with mental health professionals on May 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The screenings are brief, confidential, and do not require an appointment. Spanish speakers will be available. Walmart is located at 701 W. Central Ave. in Lompoc. For more information, call Suzanne Grimmesey at 886-5403.
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in May 21-28, 2015.
