At first glance, the dual-flush toilet looks very similar to any other toilet you've seen. However, the mechanism is a little different. On a dual-flush toilet, the opening or drain in the bottom of the toilet is larger. This is where waste and water leave the toilet and enter the sewer. This larger hole means flushing is more efficient. It also reduces the likelihood of clogging.

There is no siphon effect when flushing dual flush toilets. In contrast, dual-flush toilets use a special flush mechanism to regulate the amount of water used to remove liquid or solid waste.

With a standard toilet, the flush action is the same no matter what's in the sewer. There was no difference in how the waste entered the drain or how much water was used. Unfortunately, this means that most flushes use a lot more water than they actually need.

Dual flush toilets allow users to determine if they need a liquid or solid flush. This results in a reduction in total water consumption.