Push-Button operated toilets, the Trojan-horse of water saving

The widespread uptake of push button operated toilets, under the banner of water efficiency, is a classic case of form over function. People are lured by the simplicity and ellegance of the push-button operation, not realising that what is inside the cistern is a DROP-VALVE and not a siphon. Drop-valves have been known to leak for 160 years, in fact, one in five can leak at the testing stage and still get full WRAS approval. This means that one in five can leak straight from the showroom, perhaps you have one that leaks. A leak down the back of the pan, that is undetectable to the untrained eye, effectively turns a 6 litre flushing toilet into a 12 litre flushing toilet for the average household. The leakage rate is 15-30 litres per person per day in the USA, where all they have ever had is valve flushing toilets.

We each use 150 litres per day, 60 of these litres being used for toilet flushing. To save water, first stick with the siphon (handle on the front of the cister) and then fit the ‘interflush’, which saves another 30 litres per person per day. For 150 years we have pressed the handle and let go, using a full cistern every time, about 10 litres. With the interflush fitted to the siphon, its press but then HOLD DOWN to flush, let go to stop the flush, as soon as the pan is cleared. Uses exactly what s needed wasting none whatsoever, see www.interflush.co.uk for full details, its currently being fitted in every branch of Barclays bank and is the ONLY WC water saving device to be selected for a new National Sustainable products catalogue for the entire public sector.