Save water with the toilet flush
Without water, there’s no life. But this precious resource is becoming increasingly scarce. According to the United Nations World Water Development Report 2024, roughly half of the world’s population experiences severe water scarcity for at least part of the year. Many people are aware of this and want to reduce the drinking water usage in their homes. They turn off the tap in the shower or when brushing their teeth. That’s a good start.
How much water does a toilet flush use?
What many people don't know is that around a third of the amount of water consumed every day in a Western household is attributable to toilet flushing. After all, an average of six to nine litres of water flow into the sewage system with each individual flush.
It is therefore worth tackling this issue. For decades, Geberit has been developing flushing systems that are particularly efficient while at the same time conserving resources.
Water-saving toilet flush thanks to innovative TurboFlush technology
The optimal flushing of the toilet is at the heart of these Geberit systems. After all, what good is it if the flush uses only a small amount of water but does not transport everything that needs getting rid of into the sewage system? We press the button a second time and thus need even more drinking water.
Geberit therefore focuses on the development of products that flush the toilet thoroughly with just one flush and as little water as possible.
For a thorough and efficient flushing out, it is crucial that the flush technology and the WC ceramic appliance are perfectly coordinated with one another. Another important factor is the inner geometry of the ceramic appliance, as it accounts for most of the water-saving potential of the toilet.
This can be seen particularly clearly on the Geberit Acanto WC with innovative TurboFlush technology. The asymmetrical geometry with two guiding edges guides the flow of water spirally through the ceramic appliance in a powerful vortex.
In combination with the water-saving type 212 flush valve in the cistern and the dual flush actuator plate, the required flush volume is reduced to 2.6 litres for the small flush and 4 litres for the large flush.
The flush performance is up to ten times higher than the requirements of international standards.
Water-saving flush valve
The flush valve plays an important role here. The Geberit type 212 flush valve has two sliders. This makes it easy to adjust the water volume. For the large flush, the range extends from 3.5 to 7.5 litres. For the small flush, the flush volume can be varied between 2 and 4 litres.
The valve makes a major contribution to the resource-saving use of drinking water, as the WC ceramic appliance can be optimally flushed with minimal amounts of water.
Don't worry if you still have an old cistern at home. The type 212 flush valve is backwards compatible and can therefore also be installed in older concealed cisterns.
80% less water consumption thanks to Geberit innovations
The WC system can save a lot of water over the years. A model calculation shows that the flush water volumes have fallen by 80% since 1952 thanks to Geberit innovations such as the dual flush and the flush-stop pushbutton. Back then, one person used about 70 litres of drinking water a day. Today, it is possible to flush the toilet thoroughly with just 14 litres a day.1
Facts and figures on the usage of flush water
| Remark |
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| 1 Assumptions: One person uses the toilet five times a day and actuates the large flush once (= full flush) and the small flush four times (= partial flush). In 1952, water consumption was 14 litres per flush (= 70 litres per person per day). Today, a thorough flush is possible with 4 litres for the full flush and 2.6 litres for the partial flush (= 14 litres per person per day). |
