Steps:
- A series of tests are performed on new designs of toilets to ensure they are achieving their goal of minimizing water usage without compromising their cleaning and waste-disposal abilities.
- First, prototypes are created and tested to measure water usage.
- Once the prototype passes a series of water usage tests, a real model is built and put through an additional series of tests.
- One test measures the distance the low-flow toilet is able to move waste material.
- Another test measures the quantity of material, both big and small, that can be flushed down the toilet.
- Another test ensures that the bowl remains clean after every flush.
Pro Tip: The drain line carry test is especially critical. Engineers simulate a two-story house with a four-inch drain line set at a quarter-inch pitch per foot—the industry standard. They flush 100 three-quarter-inch poly balls and measure whether the waste travels a minimum of 40 feet, all at just 1.28 gallons per flush, which meets the toughest water restriction standards in the country.
Resources:
Richard toured the American Standard test facility. The toilet with two flush valves for better bowl cleaning is part of the VorMax collection.
