Water Efficiency In The Bathroom
23/08/2010 | Yvonne Orgill of the BMA says ... Q - My clients are 'eco-savvy' and want to install water efficient products in their new bathroom. I want to recommend one of the new super efficient WCs with an average flush of 3 litres but I am concerned that the drains may block up. A - WCs with a very low flush have been around for a couple of years and reports of blocked drains have been rare so I wouldn't worry too much. But there are a couple of things to be aware of. First, it is important to note, that modern low flush toilets are required by law (The Water Regulations 1999) to pass vigorous flush tests. If you have any doubts reputable suppliers will provide you with a 'certificate of conformity' for the particular design of WC. The WC itself will therefore not be the cause of any blockage problems. Turning to the drains, if your client has a relatively modern house then the drainage system is probably in good condition. Smooth plastic pipes may have been used when it was built and the system may still retain its integrity. In such cases the drains will flow smoothly, even with low flush. In older properties the drainage system may have suffered the test of time with subsidence and building alterations taking their toll. In this case, therefore, drainage may be a little suspect. However if the drains work well with the current 6 litre flush the chances are that there will be no problems with a 3 litre average flush. If your client does experience difficulties, it is perfectly acceptable to readjust the flush to the volume when problems did not exist – back to the 6 litre maximum. A database of the best water efficient bathroom products can be found at www.water-efficiencylabel.org.uk/