Septic systems require care to work properly and safeguard the environment, which is especially important for waterfront cottage owners. Many of us spell out, in cute signs next to the toilet, exactly what can go into that system, but it’s harder to control how much toilet paper people use—and less paper, says Rick Touzin at Sound Septic Service in McKellar, Ont., is definitely better. As our family expanded, with in-laws and four grandaughters, our TP consumption went up, so I’ve been looking for a way to encourage everyone to use less.
I associate stand-alone bidets with European luxury hotels, but there’s a good reason to consider a version of a bidet for your humble cottage. Bidet attachments fit under your existing toilet seat and save paper by washing your bits with a squirt of water from below. Installation is an easy, 20-minute job. Most are held in place by the same bolts that secure the toilet seat, and the plumbing is straightforward. Just turn off the water supply to the toilet, drain the tank, disconnect the supply line, and reattach with the bidet’s fitting in line. Fancier (and more expensive) models that warm the water require a GFCI-protected electrical outlet near the toilet.
I installed a Tushy Classic 3.0 bidet ($149, hellotushy.com) to see how well it works. The control panel has a dial to get just the right pressure and a toggle to adjust the angle of the jet. Like a separate bidet, it’s very hygienic, but more importantly, it has indeed significantly reduced our paper consumption.
This story originally appeared in our May ’23 issue.
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