Saw this news story yesterday about how some city council in California is pushing to make water-saving toilets mandatory in all new buildings. Apparently, they're supposed to cut down water usage by a ton, which sounds great on paper, but I've heard mixed things from people who've actually used them.
My cousin installed one last year when he remodeled his bathroom, and he swears it's the best thing ever—says his water bill dropped noticeably and it flushes just fine. But then again, my coworker was complaining just last week about how hers constantly clogs and she ends up flushing multiple times anyway, which kinda defeats the whole purpose, right?
I mean, I get it—saving water is important, especially in drought-prone areas. But if these toilets aren't reliable or effective enough yet, maybe cities shouldn't rush into making them mandatory? Or maybe it's just certain brands or models that are problematic? I dunno.
Curious if anyone else has tried these newer water-efficient toilets and what your experience has been like. Are they actually as good as advertised or more trouble than they're worth?
I've had one of these water-saving toilets for about two years now, and honestly, it's been pretty decent. I was skeptical at first because I'd heard similar clogging horror stories, but I did a ton of research beforehand and ended up choosing a model with good reviews. Maybe that's the key—some brands or models might just be better engineered than others?
One thing I've noticed is that the flush mechanism matters a lot. Mine has a dual-flush option, and the stronger flush handles everything fine without needing multiple tries. The lighter flush is great for liquids, so overall, it does save water noticeably. My water bill dropped a bit too, nothing huge, but enough to notice.
I wonder if your coworker's issue could be related to installation or plumbing rather than the toilet itself? Sometimes older plumbing setups don't play nice with newer fixtures. Might be worth checking into that before writing off water-saving toilets completely...
"Sometimes older plumbing setups don't play nice with newer fixtures."
You're spot-on with this. I recently replaced an old toilet in a client's home with a water-saving dual-flush model, and initially, they had constant clogging issues. Turned out the problem wasn't the toilet itself but an outdated drain line that couldn't keep up with the reduced water flow. After updating the plumbing slightly, everything ran smoothly. So yeah, these toilets can definitely be worth it—but sometimes older plumbing needs a little attention first.
Had a similar issue recently—moved into an older house and swapped the ancient toilet out for one of those dual-flush models. Here's my quick take:
- Installation was straightforward, but immediately noticed it wasn't flushing properly—had to plunge almost every time.
- After some head-scratching (and a bit of frustration...), realized our plumbing lines weren't angled steep enough for the lower water volume.
- Adjusted the slope slightly, and it's been smooth sailing since.
Bottom line: Worth it overall, but yeah, older plumbing can definitely throw you a curveball or two.
- After some head-scratching (and a bit of frustration...), realized our plumbing lines weren't angled steep enough for the lower water volume. - Adjusted the slope slightly, and it's been smooth s...
The plumbing point is spot-on. I've had to deal with a bunch of emergency calls related to these water-saving toilets, and honestly, most issues come down to compatibility with existing plumbing. People think they can just swap out their old toilet and everything will be golden, but older pipes often weren't designed for lower-flow fixtures. If your drain lines aren't angled right or they're narrower than modern standards, you're gonna have problems—clogs, weak flushes, multiple flushes needed...you name it.
That said, when installed correctly and paired with plumbing that's up to date, these toilets do exactly what they're supposed to—save water without sacrificing performance. I've seen plenty of cases where homeowners are genuinely surprised by how much their water usage drops. So yeah, they're worth it if you do your homework first and make sure your plumbing setup can handle it. Otherwise, you're probably in for some headaches down the road.
