Los Angeles: Royal Flush for A Full House

Royal Flush for A Full House

During this summer's severe drought, Los Angeles has adopted a typically high- tech approach to water use. The city council has passed an ordinance requiring that all new buildings be outfitted with ultra-low-flush toilets that use only % 1.5 gal. of water, far less than the old 3.5-gal. variety. Problem is that the city needs 100,000 of these newfangled devices a month, far more than manufacturers are turning out.

Further complicating matters is the failure of the city's testing lab to quickly approve the three low-flush models available. To win city certification, a toilet must be able to flush eight handfuls...

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