In December 2019, former President Donald Trump made headlines with an unusual claim about American bathroom habits, asserting that people were being forced to flush their toilets “10 times, 15 times, as opposed to once” due to water efficiency regulations. The statement came during a small business roundtable at the White House, where Trump criticized various environmental regulations that, in his view, were creating everyday inconveniences for Americans.
“We have a situation where we’re looking very strongly at sinks and showers and other elements of bathrooms,” Trump remarked at the event, according to USA Today. He argued that water conservation measures were causing more problems than they solved, and he painted vivid scenarios of people struggling with inefficient bathroom fixtures. “You turn on the faucet and you don’t get any water. They take a shower and water comes dripping out. Just dripping out, very quietly dripping out,” Trump said, mimicking the sound of water barely flowing from a showerhead.
The president’s comments about toilet flushes drew significant attention. “People are flushing toilets 10 times, 15 times, as opposed to once,” he insisted, according to CNN. Trump appeared to be targeting low-flow appliances and fixtures designed to conserve water, though he didn’t provide details on the specific regulations he was referencing. His broader critique seemed aimed at environmental standards, which he claimed were leading to unintended consequences.
Trump further argued that these water-saving measures actually resulted in more water usage, not less. “They end up using more water,” he said, explaining that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had been instructed to investigate the issue. However, he did not provide specifics on any planned regulatory changes.
In addition to toilets, Trump expanded his critique to other bathroom fixtures. He claimed that water conservation standards made it difficult for people to wash their hands properly in new buildings. “You can’t wash your hands practically, there’s so little water comes out of the faucet,” Trump stated, suggesting that people were leaving faucets running longer due to inadequate water pressure.
Trump’s bathroom-related remarks came at a time when the political climate was dominated by the impeachment investigation against him. The contrast between the seriousness of the impeachment proceedings and the seemingly trivial topic of plumbing regulations drew attention, with many observers noting the dissonance. Clips of Trump’s comments quickly went viral, accumulating millions of views online, as people debated the validity of his claims about excessive flushing and inefficient water flow.
While Trump’s remarks garnered significant attention, the issue of water efficiency standards for toilets had long predated his administration. The Energy Policy Act of 1992, signed by President George H.W. Bush, mandated that toilets installed after 1994 use no more than 1.6 gallons of water per flush. In 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced the WaterSense program, which certified toilets that used even less water, at just 1.28 gallons per flush. told by USA Today.
Although water conservation measures have been praised for reducing water usage in drought-prone areas and promoting sustainability, Trump’s comments highlighted a different perspective, one where these regulations were seen as an everyday inconvenience for Americans. His critique resonated with some who shared frustrations with low-flow fixtures, but it also sparked widespread skepticism and humor, adding yet another layer to the complex legacy of his presidency.
