Waterfree Urinals: Are They?
The basic Waterfree urinal uses a replaceable cartridge to act as a funnel that permits urine to pass through a biodegradable sealant liquid. The sealant acts like a one-way valve providing an airtight barrier between urine and the restroom to help prevent odors from escaping the drain. No flushing is required thus “water” free.
A Waterfree Urinal uses no water to flush as compared to flushing urinals or toilets.
|
|
Typical Gallons Per Flush
|
|
Waterfree Urinal
|
0
|
|
Typical Urinal
|
1
|
|
Low-flow urinal
|
0.5
|
|
Toilet
|
1.5
|
A Waterfree urinal can save as much as 58,000 gallons of water per year in an office which does not include the savings in sewer costs and repairs. The savings in water alone could provide a quick ROI.
TYPICAL ANNUAL WATER SAVINGS
|
Building Type
|
No. Males
|
No. Urinals
|
Uses/Day
|
Gal/Flush
|
Days/Year
|
Gallons
|
Liters
|
|
|
Small Office
|
25
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
260
|
58,500
|
220,000
|
|
|
New Construction
|
25
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
260
|
19,500
|
73,800
|
|
|
Restaurant
|
150
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
360
|
54,000
|
204,000
|
|
|
New Construction
|
150
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
360
|
18,000
|
68,100
|
|
|
School
|
300
|
10
|
2
|
3
|
185
|
33,300
|
126,000
|
|
|
New Construction
|
300
|
10
|
2
|
1
|
185
|
11,100
|
42,000
|
|
Source: Environmental Building News, February 1998.
Over 200,000 waterless urinals have been sold across the United States in a variety of applications for example, The US Army Corp of Engineers mandated installation of waterfree urinals in 2010 and onward while a California school has installed 650 waterless urinals.
Waterfree urinals can improve hygiene, save in maintenance costs and cartridge change only occurs after approximately every 7,000 uses. There are no valves to fail and no flooding from clogging.
Education is a key issue in the longevity and functionality of waterfree urinals. Learning how to use the urinal and replace the cartridge according to manufacturer’s instructions will help ensure their water, sewer and environmental benefits.
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