Britain is set to ban dual-flush toilets, calling them a waste of water.

To achieve water conservation targets in Britain, ministers in the country are focusing on banning European-style dual-flush toilet systems, which waste a large amount of water daily. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has already established a special task force to minimize water damage caused by these faulty toilets.

Although introduced to the market as an environmentally friendly and water-saving method, experts point out that in practice, these European toilet systems lead to enormous water wastage.

This European cistern system operates via a valve with a rubber seal at the bottom of the tank. Over time, this rubber seal degrades, causing water leakage. In contrast, Britain's traditional syphon system, introduced by Victorian-era engineers, draws water upwards through a U-shaped pipe. In this system, the water level never rises above the height of the U-pipe, thus eliminating the possibility of water leakage. However, since 2001, these cheaper European valve systems have been permitted for use in Britain with the aim of reducing costs for home builders.

The use of these dual-flush systems became even more popular in 2013 when the European Commission mandated that no more than 3.5 liters of water should be used per flush. However, according to the Consumer Council for Water, it is estimated that there are currently around 3.6 million leaking toilets across Britain, with each toilet wasting approximately 400 liters of water per day. The environmental organization Waterwise points out that about eight percent of toilets in the UK are in a leaking condition.

The British government has a legal obligation to halve water leaks by 2050 and plans to reduce per capita water consumption by 20% by 2038. To achieve these targets, British manufacturers are urging the government to revert to the leak-free syphon toilet system that existed before 2001, utilizing the legislative freedom gained through Brexit. However, government sources indicate that at this stage, the government does not yet have a firm plan to ban the relevant European toilet systems.