4,000 new high-efficiency bathroom fixtures, such as toilets, have been put in some public schools in New York City according to a press release issued by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). DEP operates the city’s water supply.

This project “has resulted in an approximately 71 percent reduction in water use at each of the buildings, saving nearly half a million gallons of water each school day”.

While this is a great start, DEP is even taking it a step further by working on another 75 schools to upgrade over the coming months. The goal is to hit 500 buildings and install 40,000 new, high-efficiency fixtures by 2018. It’s thought that this will save four million gallons of water each school day.

We are inspired by this initiative and want to encourage everyone to take their own steps to conserve when necessary. Drinktap has tips on how to do that.