How To Develop a Water Reduction Strategy

Invariably, when we read tips on ways to save water, they are written for the consumer (i.e., the homeowner). While some of these tips—such as using the dishwasher only when there is a full load or watering lawns in the evening—can also apply to a correctional location, I am sure we can all agree that there is a big difference between a home, which may house 4 people, and a correctional location, which might house 2,500.

However, saving water is possible in a correctional location. In fact, many such facilities, especially in California, have implemented programs that reduce water consumption dramatically. While these facilities prove it is possible to save water, doing so is very dependent on developing a water-reduction strategy.

Read more: http://www.corrections.com/news/article/44005-how-to-develop-a-water-reduction-strategy

For more information on how to reduce water consumption and use water more efficiently, please contact a Waterless Co. representative.

Hotel Water Use: Are You Flushing Money Down the Drain?

Hotels use a lot of water — for guest rooms, pools, landscaping, laundry and other uses. In total, this accounts for about 15 percent of total water use in US commercial and institutional facilities, according to the EPA.

As the price of water and wastewater services continue to increase — and drought conditions in the American Southwest spur water restrictions and conservation mandates — hotel owners and operators can save on utility costs and avoid regulatory fines by implementing water-efficient technologies and practices. McGraw-Hill Construction estimates suggest that implementing water-efficient practices in commercial buildings can decrease operating costs by approximately 11 percent and energy and water use by 10 and 15 percent, respectively.

A good place to start saving water is on-site laundry operations, which account for 16 percent of a hotel’s water usage, second only to guest rooms at 30 percent.

Read more: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2016/07/21/hotel-water-use-are-you-flushing-money-down-the-drain/#ixzz4FoGcD7js

For more information on how to reduce water consumption and use water more efficiently, please contact a Waterless Co representative.

No-Water Urinals, Pressure-Assisted Toilets, and Other New Restroom Technologies

When it comes to water consumption, no-water urinals and new toilet technologies have advanced considerably in just the past few years. For instance, pressure-assisted toilets are becoming more popular, and we are likely to see more of these in the years to come. You’ve likely already seen pressure-assisted toilets; they are similar to the types of toilets installed on airplanes. They rely on compressed air to remove waste and, in so doing, use very little water—about 1.1 gpf (gallons per flush). This compares to 1.6 gpf or more with a standard toilet.

However, these toilets tend to be more costly than traditional toilets, and installation issues may arise in some facilities. But their added costs should be balanced with the reduction in water consumption. Water rates throughout the United States are escalating, in some cases quite alarmingly. These toilets can help minimize the impact of those rate increases.

Along with pressure-assisted toilets, another option is a dual-flush toilet. These have been around for a while but have further improved in recent years. There are even sensor-controlled dual-flush toilets now.

These systems use considerably less water to remove liquid waste and just a bit more (than that used for liquid waste) to remove solid waste. Typically they reduce water consumption to about 1.25 gpf. While the flow rate is not as low as that of a pressure-assisted system, it still is lower than the federally mandated 1.6 gpf, and these toilets are typically less costly than a pressure-assisted toilet. Additionally, kits are available that can convert a standard toilet to a dual-flush system.

As for urinals, big changes are in store, due in part to the California drought. Starting in 2016, new urinals installed in California facilities can release only 0.5 gpf. This is lower than the typical 1 gpf for standard urinals and as much as 3 gpf for older urinal systems. We expect to see most manufacturers, due to the size of the California market, develop more urinals that use only 0.5 gpf.

However, many building owners are taking this a step further and installing no-water urinals. No-water urinals, as the name implies, use no water at all and typically cost far less to select and install than traditional urinals. This is because they have no flush valves and fewer plumbing requirements. Also, restroom users tend to like no-water urinals because there is no need to “touch” the system at all, eliminating concerns about pathogens and cross-contamination.

New buildings in the planning stages should consider these and other new restroom technologies that help reduce water consumption. Along with reducing water consumption, installing these systems is a significant way to reduce facility operating costs as well, as water rates are expected to continue increasing.

Existing facilities have water-reducing opportunities available to them as well. No-water urinals typically can be installed directly over the footprint of a conventional water-using urinal. And selecting and installing a no-water urinal can be surprisingly inexpensive. Plus, their benefits can be considerable, in both reducing water consumption and addressing the rising costs associated with water.

For more information on how to reduce water consumption and use water more efficiently,  please contact a Waterless Co representative. 

Taking Strides in Reducing Water Consumption

How to cut back on water use in your facility.

Historically, the United States has had an abundance of water. The country has about 4.5 percent of the world’s population, but nearly 8 percent of its renewable freshwater.

While there have been serious droughts in the United States, including the great Dust Bowl, which dried up huge areas of the Midwest and northern plains in the early- to mid-1930s, it was not until the late 1970s and again in the 1980s that the water wake-up call sounded.

Droughts in the 70s and 80s

In 1977 and then again in the late 1980s, California was hit by two very serious droughts. The first one only lasted about one year. But, if it had lasted longer, the state would have essentially gone dry.

The drought in the late 1980s was a bit less severe, but still resulted in some of the first water restrictions ever passed in the country. These restrictions required toilet manufacturers to reduce the amount of water their fixtures used to 1.6 gallons per flush down from 2 to more than 3 gallons per flush. Urinals were restricted to about one gallon, which was also a significant reduction.

To read more from a recent article by Klaus Reichardt, click here.

Why go Waterless?

Many educational facilities are considering waterless urinals because they are regarded as an effective way to conserve water—making them a Green, environmentally preferable choice. Additionally, because water must be pumped by electricity, it is believed that a large sum of money can be saved each year in utility costs, if no water urinal systems are installed. Further because of these benefits, the installation of waterless urinals can help school administrators achieve credits toward Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

Before 1990, the average urinal in North American and Western Europe used as much as two to four gallons of water per flush. Today, because of legislation in these countries and increased conservation measures, conventional urinals use about 1.6 gallons of water when flushed. However, this is still a significant amount of water—as much as 30,000 to 40,000 gallons of water per year per urinal. This amount of water is enough to fill a large swimming pool and more than the average person uses in a year for all his or her personal water needs.

Moreover, this water usage can prove to be quite detrimental in the country’s most drought-prone areas of the world. For instance, the average office building in the United States uses 14,695 gallons of water per day. Waterless urinals have the potential to significantly reduce this water usage so that water may be used for other reasons.

Not only can no-water urinals be environmentally responsible and help reduce water usage, the cost to install and maintain them is also catching the eyes of many facility managers. “The initial installation is easy and relatively inexpensive because you need only a drain line instead of both a water and a drain line,” says David Rose, a U.S. architect. “You also don’t have to contend with additional plumbing, flush valves, sensors, and the like, which can be costly maintenance headaches.”

Some school districts have also found less vandalism and restroom property damage because there are no valves, handles, or visible plumbing for students to tamper with.

How They Work
Waterless urinals are not new—actually they are more than 100 years old. They were first installed during the early 1890s in public marketplaces in Switzerland. These early models used sesame oil to keep urine below the urinal drain to minimize odors. However, they were essentially forgotten until the 1970s, when they were rediscovered during the “ecological movement” taking root during that period.

Essentially, a no-water urinal works the same way as a conventional urinal, except without the water.  A conventional flush urinal has a “trap” in the drain filled with a small amount of water that—as long as it does not evaporate—prevents odors and sewer gases from escaping.

Waterless urinals also have a trap or cylinder that sits atop the drain area of the urinal.  The cylinder is filled with a thin layer of liquid or sealant. Urine passes through the trap and sealant, forming a barrier, which prevents odors from escaping. It also helps to eliminate evaporation of the urine, which can harm indoor air quality.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Waterless urinals are essentially cleaned the same way as conventional urinals. In fact, many cleaning professionals believe they are easier to clean than conventional urinals because they have no water disbursement rims, which prevents the buildup of mineral deposits on the urinal.  And because they stay dry, there is less chance for bacteria which can cause odors to develop.

The urinal’s trap insert requires some attention and on some models there is a liquid sealant that must replenished, prolonging the trap’s life span and effectiveness.  These are very simple procedures and are often conducted by cleaning workers. 

There are now a few different manufacturers of no-water urinals in the market today and each uses a slightly different system, requiring different maintenance.  School and building managers should do their homework, analyze each system, and decide which works best for their facilities.

For instance, on some systems, the trap insert must be replaced more frequently than with other systems and the costs for these traps can vary significantly.  But it is clear that waterless urinals do have benefits.  Choose wisely to repeat the rewards these systems can offer.

California Turns Water into a Learning Opportunity

By Klaus Reichardt

One of the benefits of getting older is that most people eventually realize that many of the challenges we face in life are actually learning experiences, if not out-and-out opportunities, in disguise. And this realization holds true not only for individuals, but also for groups of people, communities, and even states and countries. In fact, California is today facing a critical challenge in which crisis has led to action. The entire nation has the opportunity to learn by example and benefit from the methods California has used to address the problem set before them.

The issue at hand is water, or the lack thereof. California is now in the fourth year of one of the most serious droughts in recorded history. Other areas of the United States have already or are expected to experience water shortages in the not-so-distant future. But what is most remarkable, at least until this year, is how well the state has gone about its business during this drought with only marginal water restrictions in place. And this is true even though the state has nearly twice as many people, about 38 million citizens, compared to the last time it had a serious water shortage.

To read the full article on the Environmental Protection Website click here.