FAQ: Can Waterless Urinals Really Save Water?

The answer is yes.  But before we debate how waterless urinals save water, we’ve got to say the following are guesstimates.  The amount typically quoted is that one waterless urinal can result in 35,000 gallons of water saved per year.

However, the amount of water saved when waterless urinals are installed can vary as a result of several factors, starting with where they are installed.  Are the waterless urinals located in the men’s restroom of a bar or restaurant?  A school or library? An airport or convention center?  A home?

A convention center may only be used half the year so the amount of water consumed by its urinals, even if there are many large men’s restrooms in the facility, may differ considerably from the amount consumed in a busy restaurant/bar frequented seven days a week throughout the year.  So, where waterless urinals are installed¾and how often they are used¾can cause water consumption to vary. 

With that in mind, here are some figures typically used to guestimate how much water is used by a traditional water-using urinal.  We can turn that around to show how waterless urinals save water:

·        In an office with one urinal and 25 male workers, one urinal may use approximately 50,000 gallons of water per year.

·        A restaurant with three urinals and an average of 150 male customers per day will use at least 72,000 gallons of water annually.

·        An educational facility with 10 urinals and 300 male students can use as much as 330,000 gallons of water per school year (approximately 185 days).*

So to determine just how much water we might be able to save, let’s create the following scenario.  Let’s assume we have an office building with 10 men’s restrooms and a total of 30 urinals.  Instead of 25 male workers, we have 250 male employees working in this office building every day.  The amount of saved water annually if waterless urinals are installed in this building would be approximately 1,500,000 gallons.

That’s a lot of saved water.  You can easily see why so many facilities, looking either for ways to reduce water consumption and become more water efficient or seeking LEED-certification, consider installing waterless urinals as one of their first steps. Very often, waterless urinals save enough water for the facility to receive credits for water efficiency.

We should also note that when this much water is saved, it can prove to be a real cost savings for a facility.  First there are the costs for the water from the water utility company.  But there are also costs to provide water to the facility and remove it.  These costs have jumped dramatically around the country in the past few years.  And, another cost that is often overlooked is the cost of electricity, required to deliver and remove water. 

These rates are typically worked into the water bill so you probably do not even notice them.  However, the more water that is consumed in your facility, the more electricity is needed to deliver and remove it, which also impacts the size of your water bill. 

So, we have answered your question: do waterless urinals really save water?  The answer is yes, waterless urinals do save water. And we have pointed out something else; because waterless urinals save water, they can help lower operating costs as well.

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

*Source: Waterless Urinals: Reducing Water Usage

FAQ: We get sewer odors in the basement of our office building. What could be causing this?

Before we discuss what could be causing sewer, sewer gas smells released into a basement, restroom, or any other area of a home or facility can be dangerous.  According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, inhaling very high levels of hydrogen sulfide¾a poisonous gas often found in sewer gas smells¾can lead to loss of consciousness, breathing problems, asphyxiation, and even death.

As to why you have sewer odors in the basement of your office building, there are a variety of reasons why they may be entering a home or business’ basement.  These can range from inadequate ventilation and a moldy or rotting sub-floor to toilets that are not properly sealed to the floor.  As to the toilet, just grab the fixture and slide it from side to side.  If it does not move, this is likely not the problem.  If it does, you may have found the sewer gas smell culprit.

However, very often the cause of this problem is dried out pipes.  And, since you said the sewer gas smells are in the basement, dried pipes may very likely be the cause.  You see, under every drain there is a “P” pipe.  The purpose for this “P” pipe is that as a faucet or floor drain is used, it fills with water.  This water is what blocks sewer odors from escaping into the room, in your case the basement.  But, dried pipes will not have this barrier to prevent sewer odors from escaping.

Steps You Can Take to End Sewer Odors

Fortunately, there are solutions, such as EverPrime, for these issues that we will discuss later in this article.  Before we discuss how to deal with sewer odors, let’s discuss what not to do. 

Many people pour a half cup or more of bleach down floor drains when they detect sewer odors.  Yes, this will likely address the problem and prevent sewer odors, but this is an environmentally unsafe way to handle the situation, especially with dried pipes.  Bleach should always be used with care; there may be chemicals lining the dried pipes that may negatively react with the bleach.  The bleach may cause corrosion in the pipes.  And bleach can also negatively impact waterways once it is released into the sewer.

Here is what you can do to prevent sewer odors and protect dried pipes.  Try to determine which drain(s) the sewer gas smell is coming from.  It is often a floor drain or a sink drain, etc.  Pour about a half cup of water down the problem drain.  Now, ventilate the room for up to 24 hours if possible.  Within that time period, the sewer odors will likely have dissipated and the sewer gas smell stopped.

However, this is a temporary fix.  If this has happened once, it is very likely to happen again.  A more permanent fix is to use a product such as EverPrime, manufactured by Waterless Co.  With EverPrime, first pour about a gallon of water mixed with just three ounces of EverPrime down the problem drains.  Then once again, ventilate the room for about 24 hours.

EverPrime will prevent the “P” pipe from drying out for months.  Using EverPrime is a far more permanent fix and safer on dried pipes.  Further, EverPrime is not impacted by heat or cold weather.

Because you said these sewer odors are in your basement, it is possible that warm weather in the summer or cold/freezing weather in the winter are also contributing to your dried pipes problem.  Product solutions like EverPrime could resolve your sewer odors and dried pipes issue in a safe and effective way.  

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

Waterless Co Drain Trap Liquid

EverPrime from Waterless Co. is designed for drains that dry out due to lack of use, keeping indoor air clean and healthy.

Totally biodegradable and freeze resistant, EverPrime eliminates sewer odors, minimizes plumbing and maintenance calls, and keeps pests away.

Use it in floor and shower drains, sinks, and even unused water fountains.

Great for schools, restaurants, stadiums, factories, empty/vacant buildings, marine applications, and other facilities.

Its freeze point is -20°, making EverPrime excellent for winterizing traps.

For more information, visit www.waterless.com or call toll-free: 800-244-6364.