When the first flush toilets were developed, there was no thought given to conserving water. The main goal was to make certain the contents of the bowl were entirely rinsed away with one flush. The very first patent in America for the toilet was given in 1857. It was known as a “plunger closet”. This concept was perfected six decades afterwards with the introduction of the vortex flushing bowl in 1907 which brought water in around the rim and produced a circular movement that washed the sides while emptying the bowl. This is essentially the very same design we use today. All was good in the Kingdom of Commodes.
In the early nineties, however, Congress passed the Energy Policy Act of 1992 requiring that manufacturers develop toilets that use less water. By 1994, any new toilet installed in a house or business could only use 1.6 gallons per flush. Formerly, toilets used about 3.5 gallons. Although this was a wonderful move for saving water, the reality was that customers didn’t want the new toilets since they just didn’t flush effectively. In fact, some designs took 2-3 flushes to clear the bowl, effectively using as much or more water than a conventional flush toilet and negating the reason they were made to begin with.
It didn’t take the industry long to come to the conclusion that they needed a better product. Makers worked on the design and produced what we now know as HETs or High Efficiency Toilets. These new toilets use even less water per flush (1.28 gallons or less) and work much better. Some are pressure assisted and the Duoset type even boasts two buttons to give you the choice of using two flush levels. If it is just liquid being flushed, the smallest quantity can be utilized to further conserve water.
There are numerous designs to choose from and just like with any product, some are superior to others. Most are readily available through home improvement stores but several brands are exclusively sold by plumbing companies. Check with your local plumber to ask them which one they suggest. They can tell you which ones are loud, which flush the best, clog the least, etc. There is a rating system for flush toilets based on a MaP score (Maximum Performance). The EPA says a minimum score of 350 is the lowest score acceptable for HETs. The best score is 1,000. Naturally, prices vary greatly, so shop around, do your groundwork and you’ll find the right toilet in the correct price range for you.
