SAVE WATER ONE FLUSH AT A TIME

Ross Rigby, UK Commercial Manager at SIAMP, reveals how even small specification decisions can have a significant impact on water saving and sustainability.

When we talk about water efficiency in the built environment, it is easy to focus on sustainability targets, environmental standards and whole building performance. But some of the most meaningful savings can come from smaller decisions made at the specification stage. A toilet flush may seem minor, but across a hotel, development, student accommodation scheme or healthcare environment, repeated use quickly adds up. That is why we believe saving water has to be approached one flush at a time.

Toilet facilities account for a significant proportion of water consumption in developed countries, so improving efficiency here can make a measurable difference. For specifiers, that means looking beyond the visible bathroom finish and paying closer attention to what is happening behind the wall. The concealed frame, cistern and flushing mechanism all help determine how much water is used, how effectively the WC performs, and how reliably that performance is maintained over time.

At SIAMP, our products are conceived to meet demanding requirements for resistance, because making systems and components last for as long as possible is the first step towards a more sustainable built environment. Our research spans eco-design, hygiene, acoustic performance, user comfort, design and respect for water. For us, water saving is part of a broader engineering approach.

This thinking is reflected in our concealed solutions. The Ingenio range, for example, includes the standard Ingenio CC790 cistern, designed to be fitted at 790mm high, and it can also be used with the supplied alternative flush pipe so that the flush plate sits above a toilet seat. SIAMP will also introduce the Ingenio Ultraslim, with a 70mm-deep cistern, extending the range for more compact applications.

In specification terms, water efficiency only works if it is supported by dependable flush performance. If the flush is weak or inconsistent, users simply flush again, and the intended saving is lost. That is why our concealed systems are designed to balance reduced water use with reliable everyday operation. A key part of that approach is dual flushing. By offering different flush volumes to suit different levels of demand, dual flush technology helps reduce unnecessary water use without compromising performance. Instead of a standard 6-litre full flush, we can adjust the full flush down to 4 litres depending on the pan, along with a smaller flush as low as 2.6 litres. Our IGENIO cisterns can be adjusted within seconds to accommodate whatever flush volume the pan is designed to work at.

That is especially relevant in high-use sectors. Hotels, guest bedrooms, public washrooms and back-of-house facilities generate repeated daily demand, so even modest per-flush savings can accumulate significantly over time. In residential developments, housebuilders are under pressure to meet green guidelines, planning expectations and wider sustainability ambitions, while still delivering bathrooms that are practical, robust and attractive.

Our approach goes further than flush volume alone. We also incorporate delayed opening fill valve technology as part of our responsible approach to water saving. Our delayed-action inlet valve is designed so that filling begins only once flushing has finished, preventing water from entering the cistern while the outlet valve is still open. In simple terms, that means water is not being wasted during the flush cycle itself. Combined with leak-prevention thinking and the flexible adjustment of our flushing mechanisms,

this supports a more intelligent and efficient approach to water management.

That same focus on innovation can also be seen in the continued development of our concealed cistern technologies, where engineering refinement is centred on delivering more precise water use, dependable performance and greater specification flexibility. It is a strong example of how toilet technology continues to evolve to become more precise, responsive and aligned with actual user need.

These principles are being applied in real projects. Our UK references include The Gantry Hotel, HEX Hotel, Hinkley Point, Fulwell Bus Depot, Birmingham Grand Hotel and Moneypenny UK. These are exactly the kinds of environments where every flush matters, because significant water use is repeated day after day. For us, saving water one flush at a time is not a slogan. It is a practical specification strategy built on durable components, dual-flush efficiency, delayed-action filling and reliable long-term performance behind the wall.