Royal Flush

Water-free urinals help facilities reduce maintenance, cut costs and go green

by Markisan Naso

By 2026, world demand for water will surpass its supply by 56 percent, according to information from the United Nations. This global dilemma is already being felt throughout today’s real estate industry. 

Rising costs for water and sewer utilities, as well as a growing awareness of buildings’ effects on the environment, have become points of concern for real estate owners and managers. In an effort to conserve water and reduce costs at their facilities, many managers are exploring alternative plumbing solutions like water-free urinals. 

WATER-FREE URINALS FLUSH MARKET
Originally invented in 1989, water-free urinals work without water, flush valves or other mechanical controls. Instead, most available units rely on disposable cartridges. The cylinder-shaped cartridges are filled with liquid sealant that acts as a one-way valve, floating above the urine to provide an airtight barrier between the draining urine and the restroom and prevent odors from escaping. Uric sediment is collected inside the cartridge and the remaining urine flows down the drain.

While standard flush urinals currently dominate the market, the last few years have seen water-free urinals make headway. They now appear in many high-profile locations, including Disney World, the IBM research headquarters in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., the Florida Marlins' Pro Player Baseball Stadium and the Taj Mahal, and have been embraced by prominent environmentalists like former Vice President Al Gore. 

Properties transitioning to water-free technology, like the Miami Beach Convention Center, have enjoyed the results. The convention center used to experience recurring problems like clogs, and had to make daily repairs to gaskets and valves. With more than a half million people attending national and international events at the center, these problems proved costly and inconvenient. 

In 1999 the center converted its bathrooms, making it the first facility in Miami Beach, Fla., to install water-free urinals. The water-free urinals save the center more than 3 million gallons of water each year, significantly reducing water and sewage costs.

GALLONS OF SAVINGS
More property owners and developers are realizing they too can benefit from the water-free technology, which significantly reduces water, sewer and plumbing costs; increases sanitation; and reduces maintenance. 

Falcon Waterfree Technologies, a manufacturer of waterless alternatives, estimates each of its commercially installed urinals conserves an average of 40,000 gallons of freshwater per year. 

Because no water piping is connected to the urinals, the costs for installation and maintenance of the units are quite low. Once installed, property managers don’t have to worry about servicing flush controls, fixing water flow sensors or replacing batteries. Leaks and floods aren’t a concern either. 

Randy Goble, vice president of marketing for Falcon, said urinals reliant on water can cost property owners $50 to $100 in general maintenance per unit each year—not including the cost of emergencies like floods or plugged drains. He also said flush urinals present sanitation problems because they get wet and are often controlled by touch. 

“Water actually contributes to the growth of bacteria development,” Goble said. “Because water-free urinal bowls are dry, they harbor five times fewer bacteria than a flush urinal.” 

Water-free urinals also conserve energy, cutting back on the tremendous amount of electrical energy expended by municipalities transporting and treating water from flush urinals. Traditional treatment generates emissions of carbon dioxide—a greenhouse gas harmful to the Earth’s atmosphere. By eliminating the need to treat water and expend energy, water-free urinals reduce carbon dioxide emissions. 

FLUSH-FREE MAINTENANCE 
Although water-free urinals require less maintenance, they still require routine cleaning. Similar to a conventional urinal, it needs to be sprayed down and wiped. But unlike flush urinals, water-free units don’t require harsh chemicals or scrubbing to remove any hard-water mineral buildup. Water-free urinals, however, do require periodic cartridge replacement or liquid sealant replenishment. Janitorial staff must also be careful not to dump large volumes of water or chemical solutions down the urinal, so the sealant liquid is not washed away. Cartridges for water-free urinals typically last for several thousand uses and may need to be changed just a handful of times each year. Replacing these cartridges takes only a few minutes. Most manufacturers of water-free urinals provide a tool that removes the cartridge. Once removed, excess liquids from the cylinder must be drained and then the cartridge should be discarded according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This usually involves placing the cartridge in a disposal bag and tossing it in the trash. With the cartridge removed, one or two buckets of warm water should be poured down the drain to flush any sediment and open the drain lines. A new cartridge can then be installed. It must be filled with water and then the sealant liquid is poured into the cylinder. 

NO WATER NATION
With demand for water increasing and supply shrinking, water-free technology is becoming more important and more visible. Many experts said water-free urinals will become the industry standard in the next few decades.

Goble said he sees definite trends toward water-free products throughout the United States today. In the Pacific Northwest , where the green movement is strong, people often invest in water-free urinals without even looking at cost paybacks. In the Southwest or Northeast where water costs are higher, the move to water-free technology is mostly prompted by financial concerns. 

“Their heads turn once they realize they can save tens of thousands or even millions of gallons of water per year,” Goble said.

Property owners looking to earn points toward the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification are also taking a closer look at water-free urinals. Goble said a facility can earn between one and three points from the national rating system for green buildings.

The eco-friendly design of these urinals, along with the tremendous cost savings and reduced maintenance associated with them, make water-free technology a viable and progressive option for retrofits or new buildings, Global said.

Markisan Naso is the editorial assistant for JPM®. Questions regarding this article can be sent to mnaso@irem.org.

Source: JPM® Volume 72, Number 3, May/Jun 2007

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