In a state like Florida, as is true elsewhere in the country where droughts are common, water conservation is considered an important goal. But talking about it and doing it are two different things. And when it comes to water-conservation products, traditionally there was a slight problem.

"Unfortunately, there were just a lot of bad products out there when these technologies first got started," said Seth Koplin, owner of Plumbing Parts & Specialties Inc. in Sarasota. "It left a bad taste in the mouth of many consumers."

Take the old "low-flow" shower heads famously lampooned in an episode of "Seinfeld," and you get an idea why many people opted to stay with a regular one. It might have meant using more water, but it certainly led to a more pleasurable experience.

"No one is going to use that kind of shower head if they don't enjoy taking a shower," Koplen said. "It's that simple."

But that was then, this is now.

Those old low-flow shower heads that would either drip-drip-drip or sandblast you with pressurized water pellets are a thing of the past. The new technologies mean that in most cases, you cannot even tell the difference between a water-conserving model and a traditional one. The same is true with many other water-conserving products, from those that regulate your sink pressure to those that handle toilets and other amenities.

Recently, Koplin decided it was time to start offering those products to his customer base of local plumbers. The demand was there from them for "green" products, he said, which in turn was reflecting a greater desire among the homeowners and businesses that they served.

"Water conservation is important, but it can be hard to do, especially when you have all these products out there labeled 'green' and it's not even clear what they do or whether they work," Koplin said. "So what we're doing is going out there, testing these things and finding the best ones to offer our customers."

The company started up a new Web site several weeks ago, greenmonkeysupplyco.com, specifically featuring its lineup of water-conserving products. The Green Monkey Supply moniker is not a separate company from Plumbing Parts & Specialties, but it attempts to set up a more specific brand geared toward those looking for water-conserving plumbing supplies, Koplin said.

The site features all of the company's water-conserving products, their descriptions and specifications, but it does not include prices and customers cannot buy directly off the Web. Koplin said so far that is largely by design, as he is not looking to get into the retail business by selling to individual consumers. Instead, his focus is supplying his existing base of plumbers.

"I'm trying to protect them," he said. "Allowing a consumer to buy directly from us online would mean they get bypassed entirely. That's not what I'm looking to do."

For now, then, plumbing companies looking to stock up on green products can use the Web site as a catalog to help guide their choices, and then they can call Koplin to take things from there.

"Right now the toll-free number on the Web site rings right at my desk," he said.

If individual homeowners or businesses are interested in one of the products, he said they are welcome to call as well, but to make a purchase Koplin will refer them to a plumber in their area.

Currently, the company is offering about 15 items that cater specifically to water conservation, from shower heads to aerators to the somewhat-strange-sounding "water-free urinals." Water-filtration systems and toilets are also among the items being offered.

Koplin said that while he believes in being environmentally friendly and promoting the idea of water conservation, the expansion was also a business decision. Being "green" in this case has a double meaning.

"There is definitely money to be made," he said. "I'm a businessman."

In that vein, it is no secret that the construction and building supply industries in Southwest Florida have been hit hard by the housing bust. Koplin said he considers himself fortunate compared to most. That is because his business focuses on service supply and not new construction. His customers are not those who tend to buy 100 toilets to install in a new building, but those who service units in existing houses and businesses. As a result, while the company took a hit in 2007 compared to 2006, it is so far outpacing its sales in 2008 compared to the same period last year.

"We were very lucky," Koplin said.

Now the question is whether his customer base will gravitate toward the new selection of water-conserving products.

Koplin said he hopes many homeowners and business owners will be attracted to water conservation for the same reasons he was, as a matter of principle but also of economics.

For example, he said switching from a standard aerator (the filter at the end of a faucet that regulates water flow), which allows about 2.2 gallons of water to flow per minute, to a mild water-conserving model of 1.5 gallons per minute can mean a sizable savings.

"You can save yourself something in the neighborhood of 7,500 gallons of water a year," he said. "And that's for each faucet."

The technology is such that that kind of switch would barely be noticeable, he said.

Then there are other options to decrease water usage even more, which are particularly useful for businesses. Switching from a 2.2 gallon-per-minute aerator to one that only allows a flow of a half-gallon per minute will indeed be noticeable to those using it, but is still good for washing your hands.

"A restaurant or similar establishment could save 14,000 gallons a year per faucet by going to 0.5," Koplin said.

"We're talking a serious savings."

Of course, some products may present more of a leap of faith than others.

One of the more unique water-conserving products on Koplin's list is a water-free urinal. How does that work? Long story short, it uses a special chemical gel. You save the water that would come with flushing each time, but it does involve daily maintenance to keep it clean. And, well, it does seem a little counterintuitive at first.

"I'd like to meet the guy who originally pitched that idea as an invention," Koplin said. "Now that's a salesman."

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