Waterless Urinals: Saving Water And Money From Going Down the Drain
The concept of a waterless urinal in men's bathrooms may seem impossible but the technology exists now to make these products a reality.
Not only do they save a business hundreds of dollars on the operational water bill, these devices also contribute to environmental conversation by reducing water consumption.
A normal urinal has to be connected to water plumbing similar to a toilet.
The traditional system flushes out waste by simply allowing water pressure to flow, washing out the contaminated water in the urinal bowl.
The combined flow drains and the urinal is ready to use again.
A waterless urinal has no such plumbing connection.
Instead, as liquid waste it put into the urinal it drains to the bottom, with the urine neutralized by integrated filters and elements in the device.
Operated correctly, the unit serves its function without requiring any new water to be wasted in the process.
A properly operating unit can save anywhere from 15,000 to as much as 45,000 gallons of water that would otherwise be flushed down the drain.
The range depends on the frequency of use.
A critical factor in keeping a waterless urinal operating correctly is the maintenance of its filter and trap.
These have to be cleaned out and replaced regularly.
Not doing so will allow the unit to be overwhelmed quickly, making a very nasty mess and defeating the basic function of the urinal.
Further, the urinal surface itself, or bowl, needs to be cleaned regularly as well.
Otherwise stains will begin to smell and overwhelm the immediate area.
From an environmental perspective, waterless urinals make logical sense.
As long as the cleaning maintenance is kept up, the unit can save a significant amount of water.
In areas where water is limited or restricted due to drought, such devices can provide critical conservation and save water for drinking resources instead.
Trade groups, particularly plumbers, have a problem with waterless urinals because it potentially means less work for their members.
When there's no need for water flow, less plumbing work is necessary.
However, this sort of reaction is a bit of industry fear as the units still need to be connected to drain plumbing to function properly.
From a business perspective waterless urinals also help the bottom line.
Businesses that have to incorporate facility costs within their expenses have to pay for all sorts of ongoing costs that don't produce profit in and of themselves.
Where cost avoidance can be realized while still providing expected facility amenities, the related savings can then be redirected to profit-producing areas of the business.
For businesses with high traffic, the reduction of water consumption can mean thousands of dollars on a year's worth of municipal water bills.
Not only do they save a business hundreds of dollars on the operational water bill, these devices also contribute to environmental conversation by reducing water consumption.
A normal urinal has to be connected to water plumbing similar to a toilet.
The traditional system flushes out waste by simply allowing water pressure to flow, washing out the contaminated water in the urinal bowl.
The combined flow drains and the urinal is ready to use again.
A waterless urinal has no such plumbing connection.
Instead, as liquid waste it put into the urinal it drains to the bottom, with the urine neutralized by integrated filters and elements in the device.
Operated correctly, the unit serves its function without requiring any new water to be wasted in the process.
A properly operating unit can save anywhere from 15,000 to as much as 45,000 gallons of water that would otherwise be flushed down the drain.
The range depends on the frequency of use.
A critical factor in keeping a waterless urinal operating correctly is the maintenance of its filter and trap.
These have to be cleaned out and replaced regularly.
Not doing so will allow the unit to be overwhelmed quickly, making a very nasty mess and defeating the basic function of the urinal.
Further, the urinal surface itself, or bowl, needs to be cleaned regularly as well.
Otherwise stains will begin to smell and overwhelm the immediate area.
From an environmental perspective, waterless urinals make logical sense.
As long as the cleaning maintenance is kept up, the unit can save a significant amount of water.
In areas where water is limited or restricted due to drought, such devices can provide critical conservation and save water for drinking resources instead.
Trade groups, particularly plumbers, have a problem with waterless urinals because it potentially means less work for their members.
When there's no need for water flow, less plumbing work is necessary.
However, this sort of reaction is a bit of industry fear as the units still need to be connected to drain plumbing to function properly.
From a business perspective waterless urinals also help the bottom line.
Businesses that have to incorporate facility costs within their expenses have to pay for all sorts of ongoing costs that don't produce profit in and of themselves.
Where cost avoidance can be realized while still providing expected facility amenities, the related savings can then be redirected to profit-producing areas of the business.
For businesses with high traffic, the reduction of water consumption can mean thousands of dollars on a year's worth of municipal water bills.
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