Introduction

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Waterless urinals function without the use of water. They are not a recent invention, in fact have been around since 1991. Waterless or no-flush urinals were first developed and manufactured in the United States by Waterless Co. Inc [1]. With growing interest in such technologies, many companies have begun to manufacture and modify the designs of waterless urinals improving ease of maintenance and odor control. Some problems have arisen from this new technology including complaints by consumers of the cost of required frequent replacement of the units trap/cartridges.[1] However,there are low cost replacements at $7.00 and odors are easily controlled by better sealing liquids; many consumers have reported overall reduction in water use and cost as a result from switching to waterless urinals. With rising water and sewer costs all over the world this is a technology that will stay around.

Design & Maintainince

Waterless urinals have a relatively simple design and are manufactured to connect to a standard 2 inch drain line and typically have a replaceable trap and/or liquid sealant to keep sewer vapor from escaping.[2] One alternative to this is the Swedish "Airflush" system which uses a small fan instead of a replaceable trap to remove odors. When replacing a conventional urinal with a waterless urinal, one of the most important considerations is the slope and composition of the drain pipe. Drain pipes must at least have a slope of 1/4in per foot and cannot be constructed of copper pipe which will corrode due to the mineral composition of urine.[2]

Regular cleaning and cartridge replacement are need to keep waterless urinals in good working order. Due to the corrosive nature of urine, encrustation of sewer pipes has been found to occur as a result of the use of waterless urinals. Some users have reported to need to rout their drains annually to remove buildup will others have had no issues of blockage.[2]

Implementation

Waterless urinals have been growing in popularity over the years, being installed worldwide in many public and private institutions. A survey of waterless urinal implementation conducted by the Massachusetts company, Industrial Economics Inc., found waterless urinals being installed in major airports, municipal and retail properties such as IKEA and Boston City Hall, as well as malls and higher education facilities including Harvard.[3] Both federal and state governments within the United States have also fund large scale conversions from conventional urinals with in their facilities. Waterless Co. LLC currently has projects of installation within over 20% of the major US military bases in the county. Many national parks, post offices, middle and high schools, as well as county government buildings have seen the implementation of waterless urinal.[3]

Several cities, such as Austin, TX, and Seattle, WA, currently provide rebate incentives for the installation of waterless urinals. New construction project designers find that the installation of waterless urinals also helps to achieve the 30% water use reduction required to qualify for Water Use Reduction Credit and also help a new building qualify for LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).[3]

Costs and Benefits

Benefits of waterless urinal installation or retrofit include[2] :

  • Reduce water and sewer cost (up to 45,000 gallons per year)
  • Lower energy cost (no pump required)
  • Eliminate the need for flush handles, sensors, or water supply lines
  • Are environmentally friendly

Initial and continued cost of waterless urinals depends upon the vendor, however studies have shown the average payback time to be between 1/2 to 3 years. The water and sewer savings per year vary greatly and depend upon the type of conventional urinal being replaced, the rate of use of the facility, and the cost of water and sewage for a given area. Users and studies have found the annual water savings to be between 27,000 to 95,000 gallons per year with an monetary savings ranging from $250 to $875 per year.[2] A study coducted in LA county found that if all the county owned buildings switched to waterless urinals the county could save as much as 500 million gallons of water annually. [4] A personalized savings calculator can be found at http://www.waterless.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=41 to calculate your own possible savings by switching to water free urinals based on frequency of use and local water costs.

List of Vendors

Partial list of waterless urinal vendors in the United States[2] :


References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 www.greenlodgingnews.com
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 www.cecer.army.mil
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 www.mass.gov
  4. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named falcon
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