Flushing the lavatory

[sixpence]

As we are all being made aware of the water shortage in UK, what do you think of the old saying..

"If it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down"

Would you do this to save water?

Thanks for any of your opinions.

[gastwo]

I can't remember that, but I do recall we were encouraged to place a brick in the cistern to displace some of the water, and make a saving that way.

I don't think the 'yellow-mellow' idea would smell too good after a while...!

[charliebaps]

If I'm going and then my boyfriend is then I don't flush (if it's yellow!). I live on my own and don't flush everytime - real waste of water. My mates got a brick in his cistern to displace water - he's on a meter. I'm just envornmentally conscious

[stoo_pid]

Already do, within reason. Certainly if anyone's going shortly after we never flush and don't flush after every number 1.

We used a water hippo (same idea as the brick) for a bit but then found our loo quite often didn't fully flush away the results, which meant flushing it again. So instead of saving water, we were using more!

Biggest problem is, (most) houses don't have a dual water system so the water we all use to flush is really just drinking water (although I wouldn't recommend drinking out of the bowl). Such a waste.

[Toureman]

There is not a water shortage in the UK just in England!

As I live in Wales I do not have to save water.

[Lonnie]

Thanks for that one Toureman, we tried the 'yellow mellow' bit, and after a short while, apart from the smell, the loo gets stained, never again.

[lilacben]

I can't stand it.!! And I have awful time with my husband leaving it. Uck!!

[Gef]

Agree entirely with sixpence. If you clean the bowl regularly then there will be no problem.

[netibiza]

Can't you get those new press flushes, short flush for pee and full flush for No.2, saves an awful lot of water.

[sixpence]

Sounds as if we have mixed feelings on this.

Look out, toureman, we might all have to move to Wales.

[KARL]

On occasions when I have lived in a place where the sewage went into a tank that had to be emptied, I have followed the yellow/brown rule to reduce volume. This causes no problem even in warm climes but you definitely have to clean the bowl more often. Ecologically it is a very sound practice.

[jedimistress]

I save water this way. I live in Wales but I still hate to see waste.

[maggie01]

My husband is a Plumber and he never flushes no.1. It is so annoying. Maybe if the seat was put down it wouldn't matter too much. I always flush but I don't pull the lever right down.