Flushing Toilets is Now Against the Law

Most of us are aware of the problems Cape Town, South Africa, was grappling with last year. For weeks on end, residents were unsure if they would have any water the next day. If not, that would mean they had reached “Day Zero.”

This was possibly the first time in history that such a large city, with nearly four million residents, inched toward totally being without water for drinking, irrigation, bathing, and, we must add, toilet flushing.

Why must we add “toilet flushing?” To point out that just because Cape Town escaped Day Zero, that does not mean that other parts of Africa are not suffering from drought. In fact, in some areas of Africa, people can no longer flush their toilets without being fined.

Photo by Andrea Davis on Unsplash

For instance, in Bulawayo, the second-largest city in Zimbabwe with more than 700,000 residents, people can only flush them once per week. Residents gather around their toilets at 8 p.m. each Monday to perform what is called the Big Flush. That’s the only day they can flush their toilets.

Right now, and receiving very little attention, more than 45 million people in Africa face what the United Nations calls a “water and food crisis.” Corn harvests have been ravaged. Many people now live on wild plants and roots. In Namibia, it is estimated that 30,000 cows have died due to the drought, along with some 200 elephants.

The causes of climate change, we will not discuss here. But experts, including U.N. representatives, report climate change is the cause.  Further, some of these “are developing countries that can least afford the consequences” of climate change, according to Zambian President Edgar Lungu.

However, there is more than just climate change at play here in Africa. Growing populations have accelerated deforestation. The forests acted like giant sponges, absorbing carbon dioxide and heat-trapping gasses. Because they are gone, some of the fasted growing regions of Africa are now experiencing the hottest summers on record.

Further, when it comes to water, it is either feast or famine. While some areas are receiving the lowest rainfall since 1981, others are experiencing floods, some of the worst on record.

However, steps are being taken to address the situation. Agriculture is changing. More drought-resistant plants are being planted. Ways for harvesting water are being developed.  This way, countries can store water that can be used for human consumption, irrigation, or flushing toilets. Further, many of these countries have groundwater resources, which are not being accessed.

All of this means that in many ways, Africa is becoming one of the world’s leading “water testing grounds.” Scientists and engineers from all over the world are looking into a variety of technologies that can reduce water consumption now and into the future. For instance, we already have waterless urinals replacing traditional urinals all over the world.  Waterless toilets may be the next step.

If there is one thing we have learned about droughts and other water-related problems, many of them are challenges just waiting to be uncovered.

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

Report Indicates Growth of No-Water Urinal Installations Worldwide

A November 2019 study indicates that the global market for no-water/waterless urinals is expected to expand by eight percent in the next eight years.  

The research was conducted by Transparency Market Research (TMR), an analytics, research, and advisory service for Fortune 500 companies.

The reasons given for the growth rate, according to TMR, include the following: 

• Rising concerns about public hygiene (waterless urinals do not need to be touched, making them more hygienic)

• Growing industrialization in developing countries

• New innovations and technologies in the waterless urinal industry

• Updated and more attractive designs.

Another reason given is that no-water urinals are a "more appropriate option for the promotion of public urinals."

This references the fact that waterless urinals do not need to be plumbed to release water, reducing installation needs, costs, and requirements considerably.

"Of course, the big driver for the selection of no-water urinals is worldwide water concerns," says Klaus Reichardt, CEO and Founder of Waterless Co., Inc.

"Population and business growth, [for instance], in parts of Asia cannot keep up with the demand for water. They need technologies like waterless urinals to help reduce their growing water appetite."

The research also indicated that the commercial sectors that will most likely be selecting no-water urinals in the future include the healthcare industry, hospitality (both hotels and restaurants), industrial locations, offices, schools, and shopping complexes.

It was also reported that the installation of waterless urinals would grow in the residential sector, especially in the U.S. This is fueled by the likely increase in residential construction in the U.S. as well as the development of residential properties that are greener and more sustainability-focused.

"There has been interest in waterless urinals for the home for more than a decade," says Reichardt. "It seems to go up and down; however, in the past few years, the direction has been steadily pointing upward."

About Waterless

Waterless Co. Inc. has established a well-respected reputation as being an innovative manufacturer of no-water urinal systems. Based in Vista, Ca, the nearly 30 year-old company is the oldest manufacturer of waterless urinals in North America. The company offers a full line of Waterless No-Flush urinals, cleaning liquids, and cost saving accessories. Visit: www.waterless.com 

Chico University Reduces Water Consumption

Chico State University is the second oldest university that makes up the California college system and is in one of the driest areas of the state. In the past few years, they have taken several steps to respond to ongoing California’s drought by finding innovative ways to cut back on water use.

Facility managers have found that updating restroom fixtures is key to conserving water. “This includes replacing older faucet aerators with new ones that use only half the amount of water,” says Bob Francis, Lead Plumber for Facilities Management and Services at Chico State.

The university is also replacing old toilets and urinals to reduce water consumption. New toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush, compared to the older ones, which used as much as 4.5 gallons per flush.

Old urinals used a gallon of water or more, but newer ones being installed at Chico use only one pint of water or, taking water efficiency a step further, are completely waterless.

It is now widely reported that no-water or waterless urinals can save as much as 35,000 gallons of water per year, per urinal. As you can imagine, in a college setting such as Chico State University, this can mean millions of gallons are being saved every year…exactly what the university was trying to accomplish.

As to the no-water urinals specifically, the university selected waterless urinals manufactured by Waterless Co. Inc. Waterless Co. is the oldest and one of the largest manufacturers of waterless urinals in the U.S. The company’s products can be found in many public facilities, such as schools and other universities, as well as hotels, office buildings, even in homes, where urinals in general are gaining greater popularity.

Outside the restrooms, the university has found another way to conserve water: by making major changes to how it irrigates landscaped areas. Older spray heads have been replaced with more efficient rotating heads that deliver a much smaller amount of water. A smart irrigation system measures evaporation, humidity, and temperature and sets watering times automatically. This ensures irrigation is performed only when needed; for example, if it is raining, the system turns itself off completely.

“This is a reflection of some very effective steps all kinds of facilities can take to help reduce water consumption,” says Klaus Reichardt of Waterless Co. “It’s in restrooms and landscaped areas where most facilities’ consume most of their water and those are the two areas we must target.”

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

New Stadium Is a Trailblazer When It Comes to Water

The new Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta has been referred to as a trailblazer for a number of reasons and one of them involves how they have managed to reduce water consumption. They are leading the way for large sports facilities around the world, showing them just how much can be done to use water more efficiently and responsibly.

Photo by Christopher Alvarenga on Unsplash

Among the several water-reducing strategies the stadium has implemented are the following:

• Installing high-efficiency toilets that use less water than those required by government regulations; 

• Xeriscaping green space, including planting drought-resistant plants; 

• Selecting mechanicals, such as boilers and HVAC systems, which use water more efficiently than comparable systems; and

• Installing a 680,000-gal cistern to collect rainwater, which then can be used for cooling the facility or irrigation.

Steps also were taken to address a water-related problem in west Atlanta, where Mercedes-Benz Stadium is located. Initiatives were employed to reduce water drainage, which historically contributed to flooding in the area. 

“We did this for many reasons,” said Scott Jenkins, general manager of the stadium. “Paramount was our goal not only to be a good neighbor, but improve the quality of life for people living on the west side of Atlanta.”

While these water saving initiatives have helped reduce water consumption, the installation of waterless, otherwise known as no-water, urinals has proven to be one of the most effective water saving initiatives.

One traditional urinal can consume more than 35,000 gal of water per year. It is hard to count how many urinals are in the average sports venue in the U.S., much less determine how much water they consume because many stadiums use trough urinals. These urinals can accommodate three to six users at one time. Further, some stadiums have installed a combination of traditional urinals and trough systems. However, whatever the situation, the amount of water used can be millions of gallons. One of the most effective ways to reduce those numbers is to install no-water urinals.

Learn More Here

Bigelow Tea Says Caring for Our Planet is the Right Thing to Do

Bigelow Tea is growing its efforts to be a “green” company and an environmentally responsible maker of specialty teas. 

Family owned and based in Fairfield, Connecticut, Bigelow Tea is a supporting member of the Ethical Tea Partnership.  This organization works with tea growers to establish best-practice methods for the responsible conservation of the world’s tea fields. The company produces 1.7 billion tea bags annually, yet is a Zero Waste to Landfill company, diverting 94 percent of its solid waste company wide, exceeding the official guideline of 90 percent.

“Eighty-five percent of our packaging is compostable, biodegradable or recyclable,” sys Cindi Bigelow, the third-generation president and CEO of the family-owned company.  Her grandmother, Ruth Campbell Bigelow, started the company more than 70 years ago.

“Packaging innovations over the past years have allowed us to cut the weight of our outer boxes, saving 430,000 pounds of material per year, and shaving the thickness of our foil by 12 percent has saved 86,000 pounds per year. In addition, we have eliminated corrugated packaging completely on our shipments, and done away with pallet shrink-wrapping in favor of reusable rubber bands.”

Bigelow Tea also takes care to conserve resources, with rooftop solar generating up to 15 percent of the energy used by its Fairfield plant. Around its facilities, Bigelow has LED lighting to save energy, and in its men’s restrooms, waterless urinals.

They installed the no-water urinals, manufactured by Waterless Co, Inc., to showcase their water conservation efforts as well let building users and visitors know that each waterless system saves about 35,000 gallons per urinal per year.

At Bigelow, along with reducing waste, using recyclable packaging materials, and saving water, the company has taken many other steps to be greener and mores sustainable.  This has helped them live up to the company’s mission statement, which reads:

“Do the right thing and good things will follow.

Caring for our planet, is the right thing to do.”

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

The Sustainable Restroom

Washrooms are a vital part of our lives. But could they become more sustainable? Washroom hygiene companies give their views - and ECJ looks at the bigger picture.

Washrooms are a basic necessity of life. But from a sustainability point of view they can be extremely wasteful.

Around 30 per cent of the water we employ at home is used for flushing the toilet, which means the quantity of water used in public washrooms worldwide – where automatic flush systems are in place and where taps are often left to run unchecked – is incalculably huge.

Public toilets also require energy for heating, lighting and operating hand dryers. And washroom visitors are major consumers of paper in the form of toilet tissue and paper towels.

So, what are the sustainability issues that need to be addressed in the public washroom?

To read more on the Sustainable Washroom, on the European Cleaning Journal Website, click here.