I'm going to replace my old toilet and was wondering if I should I buy a 6-l toilet or a 13-l replacement? I spoke with a plumber a number of years ago and he said that 6-l toilets do not flush enough water and eventually clog up. Buying a 6-l toilet will save me money in water use and the City of Toronto will give me a $60 rebate. But will I end up giving that money to a plumber later?—Ed Marcinkowski, Toronto
The short answer is yes, go ahead and buy a 6-l toilet. It's good for the environment and your wallet. Some early attempts at developing water-efficient toilets simply amounted to attaching a smaller tank on a standard bowl. As a result, the toilet didn't always do its job and people found that they had to flush twice. Or worse.
But today's 6-l toilets have been completely redesigned. Depending on the manufacturer and model, modifications may include larger-diameter flush valves that allow more water to enter the bowl quickly and bowls that have been re-engineered to clean and clear sewage with minimal amounts of water. Some higher-end toilets even use pressurized air to force the water through. And dual-flush models allow you to choose a 6-l flush for clearing out liquid waste and the full 13 l for the other stuff.
Toronto—one of many municipalities across the country with an incentive program encouraging residents to install water-efficient bathroom fixtures—not only offers a $60 rebate but a $75 one as well, depending on which model you choose from the city's five-page list of tested and approved toilets. Regardless of model, officials estimate that the reduced water use amounts to an additional annual savings of $85 for a family of three.
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Re: 6-l toilets Copy this address to your browser << http://www.cwwa.ca/pdf_files/Map-Report-14th-Ed-05-2009.pdf >>, press enter and you will get a report on the performance of over 1500 high efficiency toilets available in North America. Choose a model with a MaP rating of 500 or better and you will not be disappointed with the toilet’s ability to perform. In my own experience, a MAP rating of 350 is satisfactory, 500 is good and over 500 is probably better than you need. There are many economy priced toilets that achieve well over 500 and very few in any price range that rate below 500. However, there are still a few poor performers on the market, so check before you buy. Checking saved me from buying a poorer performer.