Dual flush toilets are designed to save water by allowing two different levels of flushing capacity. A high- level flush is used to dispose of solid waste, while a low-level flush is used to dispose of liquid waste. The average amount of water used per flush is significantly lower than that of traditional flush toilets. Traditional flush toilets made before the 1990s use up to 3.5 gallons of water per flush, but dual flush toilets use an average of 1.28 gallons.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, almost 30 percent of indoor residential water use is through flushing the toilet. Dual flush toilets can help to reduce the strain on city water supplies by reducing the amount of water wasted in sewage.
Dual flush toilets can also have benefits for the individual homeowner or renter. They reduce the amount of water used by residential households by about 20 percent. This translates to an average savings of $2000 for the household over the life of the toilet.
Dual Flush toilets cost slightly more than regular toilets. The difference in price is more than offset though by the savings on the water bill, so it should not significantly affect the marketability of the device. In addition, the actual efficiency of the dual flush toilet may be limited if the consumer does not bother to choose the light flush option. The light flush is very easy to use though, and the monetary savings make it likely that most purchasers will use the toilet as designed.
“Bathroom | Green Homes | US EPA.” US Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2012. http://www.epa.gov/greenhomes/bathroom.htm
“Dual Flush Toilets.” MILCON Requirements and Standardization Integration (MRSI). N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2012. <mrsi.usace.army.mil/cos/TechNotes/05 Fixtures Dual Flush Toilets 10-31-10.pdf>.