For hundreds of years waste had been disposed of in cess pits, rivers or out of the nearest window! The `wash-down' closet was invented 1889. The modern toilets of today work on precisely the same principle as the ones used many years ago. With the utilisation of plastics and sophisticated design, the cistern has been able to become more compact.
By pushing down the flushing handle, a siphon is created and water is drawn from the cistern and then flushed downwards into the water closet (WC), by means of a pipe. As the water begins to drain away from the cistern, the ball-float moves down making the lever system open the ball-valve. This operation allows water to refill the cistern, carrying the ball-float back up with the rising level. At the same time the ball-valve closes. An additional safety device is the overflow tube, which allows any water which might go over the recommended level, to drain away to prevent flooding. This component comes into use if the ball-valve fails to function correctly.
