Flushing the toilet is one of those everyday actions we rarely stop to think about. We use the bathroom, press the button, and move on with our day. But have you ever wondered how much water disappears with every flush? For something so routine, the amount of water used can become surprisingly significant when repeated several times every day.

The exact amount depends heavily on the toilet. Older toilets can use considerably more water per flush than modern water-efficient models, while newer dual-flush systems are specifically designed to reduce consumption. Even a few litres may not sound like much on their own, but consider several people flushing multiple times each day. Over months and years, those litres quickly add up. Multiply that across millions of households, and toilet flushing represents a substantial use of treated water. Fortunately, reducing that amount doesn’t necessarily require giving up normal bathroom habits. Continue below to see two simple approaches that can help.