Have you ever wondered what the difference between the big and little flush button is?

Virgin Radio

27 Oct 2022, 11:01

When was the last time you properly looked at a toilet flush?

Many of us are trying to save the planet, and one of the ways you hear about is using less water.

You might have seen the different size of buttons on the flush panel for the toilet.

Many modern toilets come with a choice of button - but do they actually make any difference?

You might have assumed that the smaller one is for a shorter flush and the big one is for a longer flush.

That is the correct logic, but why would you need the two?

The longer the flush from the bigger button, the more water is uses.

Andrew Tucker is Thames Water’s water efficiency manager, and he explained why people might be confused: “There are so many different types of toilet out there that it’s no surprise people don’t know which button to press.

“In many cases, what seems to be the obvious option for a shorter flush actually uses the most water.

“A big flush typically uses six litres of water whereas a little flush is only half that so it’s important we all know which is which to help keep the amount of water we’re using to a minimum.

“Every drop we supply comes from rivers, streams and the underground aquifers that help maintain healthy levels in waterways and taking too much can have a detrimental impact on them.

“Water just isn’t the infinite resource many people assume it is.”

Leaking toilets are also a big problem.

Thames Water predicts that there are 175,000 toilets leaking about 400 litres of water per day.

Tucker explained: “When you have a leaky loo, the water just dribbles away down into the pan so often goes unnoticed apart maybe a small ripple in the bottom of the loo, but they can waste huge volumes of water.

“For those on a water meter, it’s literally money down the drain.

“When we visit customers’ homes to support them in reducing their water use, it’s easily the most common problem we find but luckily the easiest to fix.

“Modern push-button toilets are the worst for leaks and we’re in talks with manufacturers to understand how they can be made to not leak.”

Have you ever thought about this?