Show your toilet some love for World Toilet Day

Established by the United Nations, World Toilet Day is celebrated each year on November 19. It reminds us that no matter how much the world changes, we will always need toilets—and the essential systems that keep them flowing.

While flushing your toilet may seem like magic, it's actually the result of complex systems and a lot of hard work. The drinking water system delivers the water your toilet uses to flush. Then wastewater infrastructure safely collects and treats water after the flush.

Our wastewater infrastructure works behind the scenes every hour of every day. While we don't know exactly how many toilets exist in Portland, we do know what they all rely on:

• 2,500 miles of sewer pipes
• Over 100 pump stations
• Two wastewater treatment plants

Keeping this system running safely and reliably requires us to change with the times. Growing communities, aging infrastructure, and climate change all put pressure on our infrastructure. We're investing in our wastewater system to ensure it's resilient and able to meet future needs.

View full size image of The partially constructed biosolids facility, which looks like a large concrete building stands in the middle of the treatment plant. It is surrounded by multiple cranes and a lot of other construction activity.

For example, the Secondary Treatment Expansion Program (STEP) is the largest upgrade to the Columbia Boulevard Wastewater Treatment Plant since the 1970s. The $515 million project makes the plant more resilient, protects our rivers, and provides healthier and safer work environments.

We're investing in our wastewater systems, but what you do to your toilet matters too. Here's how you can support our wastewater system and show your toilet some love.

1. Watch what you flush. The most important thing Portlanders can do is only flush the three P's: pee, poop, and (toilet) paper. Flushing anything else can clog your pipes, cause sewage backups, and damage the wastewater system. Learn more about what you can and can't flush.
2. Check your toilet for leaks twice a year. Toilets leaks can waste thousands of gallons per month, and no one wants to receive that utility bill! To check for leaks, add 10 drops of food coloring to your toilet tank (don't flush!) and wait 10 minutes. If the color shows up in your toilet bowl, you have a leak. No food coloring at home? Order free leak detection tablets!
3. Fix leaks and request a bill credit afterward. Check out our guide to fixing a toilet or these short videos on how a toilet works and how to fix a leaky toilet. If you own your home and qualify based on income, we can replace your toilet for free through the Home Water Leak Repair Program. If you've found and fixed a water leak, you can request a bill adjustment (credit).
4. Replace older toilets and get a rebate. Replacing an older toilet can save a lot of water and money. If you replace an old toilet or urinal with a WaterSense-labeled model, you can get a $70 rebate from the Portland Water Bureau. If you're enrolled in our financial assistance program, you can get up to $120. Commercial, residential, and multifamily properties are eligible. Get the details and apply on our toilet rebate page. This rebate program ends soon. Purchase an eligible toilet before December 31, 2025, and apply for the rebate by June 30, 2026.