What is a high-efficiency toilet (HET)?

An HET is a fixture with an average flush volume of 1.28 gallons per flush (GPF) or less. That’s 20 percent less than most toilets on the market today.

Do HETs qualify for the Toilet Rebate Program?

Many HETs do qualify for the City of Austin’s Toilet Rebate Program. However, the toilet must also have the WaterSense Label to qualify. It is possible that there may be cases where toilets labeled "HET" do not carry the WaterSense label and therefore do not qualify for the rebate program. Look for the WaterSense logo on toilet packaging or literature to identify qualifying models, or visit http://www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/find_het.htm for a list of WaterSense toilets.

What rebates are available?

There are several options in our Toilet Rebate program. If you meet all the qualifications for the Toilet Replacement Program (See application and guidelines), and:

Free Toilet Program


• Replace a large capacity toilet installed before 1996 (up to 3 per home). This program does not replace 1.6 gpf toilets.
• To participate, complete and submit a Free Toilet Program application form (pdf).

Toilet Rebate Program


• Replace pre-1996 toilets with qualifying HET models -- up to $200 per toilet.
• Install HETs in new construction -- up to $50 per toilet
• To participate, complete and submit a Toilet Rebate Program application form (pdf).

All Toilet Rebates require a completed application form for each program (see link above). Click here to view a list of WaterSense-labeled toilets

How long have HETs been available in the U.S.?

The first HET (a gravity-fed, dual-flush fixture) was introduced in the U.S. in late 1998 by Caroma. At that time, the dual-flush technology had been proven and available in the Australian marketplace for about 10 years. Prototypes of the second category of HETs (1.0-gallon pressure-assist fixtures) were field tested in 2001, but results weren’t ideal. Improved, effective technology hit the marketplace in 2003.

Today, a total of 86 different HET fixture models are available from 16 different manufacturers. The market is expected to grow by 50% in the next year as major manufacturers shift their focus to these exceptionally efficient, high-performance toilets.

Do HETs meet customer performance expectations?

Until recently, most of the HETs installed have been part of pilot programs developed by water utilities, and don’t necessarily represent the range of models available in the marketplace today. However, HETs perform better in laboratory tests than most of their "regular" counterparts, thanks to extensive development and engineering. As with any equipment purchase, we recommend that you research the issue before buying to find the model that best fits your needs and budget. (See Maximum Performance (MaP) Testing of Popular Toilet Models, Veritec Consulting and Koeller and Company, to compare toilet performance.)

What about moving waste in the drainline?

Some customers are concerned about drainline transport (clogging and backups) with ultra-low (e.g., 1 gallon) flush volumes. Unlike some first-generation, "low-flow" toilets, WaterSense labeled toilets combine high efficiency with high performance. Design advances enable WaterSense labeled toilets to save water with no trade-off in flushing power. In fact, many perform better than standard toilets in consumer testing.