From Water Briefing

An investigation which will be broadcast on the BBC Costing the Earth radio 4 programme later today (29 Sept) has found that dual flush toilet systems are wasting billions of litres of water every week.

The report by Tom Heap will reveal how dual flush toilet systems in use every day – an innovation which promised to save water – is actually making matters worse.

The BBC has learned that much of the estimated 400 million litres of water which leak from UK toilets on a daily basis is attributable to a combination of leaky mechanisms and confusing flush buttons in dual-flush toilets which were designed to save water.

According to the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) the drop valve system used in dual flush systems is more prone to leakage than the traditional siphon, a report on the BBC News website this morning highlighting the upcoming programme says.

The programme will feature Thomas Dudley Ltd, one of the UK’s largest plumbing manufacturers, which has a testing station which conducts 200,000 constantly repeated flushes on any new mechanism.

The report on the BBC this morning quotes the firm’s Managing director Jason Parker:

“A siphon will not leak whereas an outlet valve – if we look at the figures we’ve got – they could leak within a week of installation. It could be two years but they will leak.”

The Costing the Earth programme will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 15:30 BST on Tuesday 29 September or afterwards on BBC Sounds.

Click here to access the programme online at Radio 4