September 13, 2005

Regarding the lawsuit filed last week by attorneys general of 15 states demanding quicker bans on electrical appliances that allegedly use too much energy, reader Terry Maher writes in to say:

Reminds me of the 1995 energy law which mandated installation of low-flush toilets as a water conservation measure, notwithstanding the fact that multiple flushes are needed to clear the bowls; residue remains in the bowl even after multiple flushes; the units clog easily; and they require more maintenance than 3.5-gallon models and cause more damage when they overflow. But hey, they save water!

More: reader Walter E. Wallis writes:

I am an engineer who designs plumbing systems among other things. I installed a 1.6 gallon per flush toilet in my house more than 20 years ago. It was an American Standard elongated cadet with the Sloan stored pressure flush. In the succeeding 20 years, I have never had a flush failure. Not even once.

When congress passed their bill, they failed to make a performance requirement, so a lot of companies just stuck a smaller tank on their existing toilet and let the plumbers take the blame. Congressmen make poor plumbers.