Living in the world’s driest inhabited continent means that saving every drop of water is important. Luckily, conserving water is much easier now with home fixtures such as water-efficient washing machines, tap aerators, and low-flow toilets.
The first low-flow toilets were a response for the rising environmental concern during the early 1990s, but they weren’t very successful back then. Although they definitely reduced water consumption, they didn’t flush out waste properly. Good thing toilet manufacturers didn’t give up on the idea.
Today’s low-flow toilets can effectively flush out liquid or solid waste using half as much water as the old single-flush toilets. While old toilets used up around 12 litres of water for every flush, low-flow units only use about 6 litres of water or less.
Low-flow toilets use different methods to ensure that they always flush well. The most commonly used is a combination of gravity and pressurised air. One thing about these systems though: they are quite noisy. Other manufacturers use an electricity-powered pump to lessen the noise without affecting the flushing power.
In Australia, low-flow toilets typically come in dual-flush models as well. Dual-flush toilets have separate buttons for flushing down solid waste and liquid waste. This means that you use about half as much water if you’re only flushing liquid waste down the toilet.
Sample toilet water rating label of a very efficient toilet.
Photo credit: whywait.com.au
The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme makes choosing a low-flow toilet easier. Under the WELS scheme, toilets are required to carry a label showing their star rating and water consumption. The more stars a toilet has, the more efficient it is. One-star toilets average 5.5 litres per flush, while the currently highest-rated toilet in WELS’ online lavatory database averages only 2.8 litres per flush and carries a five-star rating.*
Of course, it is always advisable to go for the most efficient toilet, but remember that there is another huge factor: budget. Take a look at several toilets within your price range, then get the one that has the highest rating. Make sure that it will fit your bathroom before you purchase it. Hiring a plumbing expert can help you make sure that the toilet you’re eyeing will fit in your bathroom perfectly. Enlist the help of a professional plumber now.
*Statistics from waterrating.gov.au