Dual flush toilet

The purpose of this mechanism is to reduce the volume of water used to flush different types of waste.

The design takes advantage of the fact that liquid waste requires a lesser amount of water to flush than solid waste; the smaller button is used to dispose of liquid and the larger button for solids.

[9] The tipping bucket cistern can operate in a dual flush mode when the lever is rotated halfway 2.5/5 litre.

[10] The dual-flush toilet typically uses less water, resulting in lower running costs and less environmental impact.

[citation needed] Australian governments have used rebates to encourage the replacement of old single-flush toilets with more water-efficient ones.

[6][15] In the United States, the Energy Policy Act was signed into law in 1992 and took effect in 1994, requiring that toilets sold use no more than 6 litres (1.6 US gal) per flush.

[19][20] Dual flush mechanisms are also more likely to develop leaks than a traditional siphon; the UK supplier Thames Water claimed in 2020 that dual flush toilets were likely to be wasting more water than they save due to a combination of leaks and confusion over which button to press.