Overturning the 1.6 gpf rule would be a reckless step backward. using low-flow toilets falls into that category of all of us doing our part to conserve our natural resources.
A decade ago, the plumbing industry was up in arms over proposed federal legislation that would mandate a toilet's flush at 1.6 gal. In an editorial in 1989, Charlie Horton, the founder of this magazine, called the bill "madness" and worried that this "reckless leap into the unknown could inflict serious technical problems and consumer ire on the industry."
Ten years later, we've experienced our share of technical problems and consumer ire, but to throw out the 1.6 gpf mandate now would be madness indeed. A better idea would be to keep water conservation as the worthy objective it is and have manufacturers strive to overcome any technical problems with low-flow toilets.