Let's Have Some Fun Peeing Again

Boy, it's been rough the past few months. Most of us were in lock down for about three months, our jobs and businesses took a hit, and if you are a parent, your kids were likely driving you slightly crazy. Now adding salt to the many wounds, some areas of the country may be going back into lock down mode.

We need some fun, anywhere and anyplace we can find it.  So, at least for the fellas, how about starting with urinals. A few years back, there were some innovative things happening to urinals in Europe and South America when it comes to urinals. While they may not necessarily be considered "fun," at least in the traditional sense of the word, if we had them again, at least they would likely put a smile on your face.

IMAGE CREDIT: http://www.dudeiwantthat.com/household/bathroom/guitar-pee-musical-urinal.asp

Guitar Pee

As the name implies, this is a musical urinal.  Guitar Pee was made by Billboard Brazil and installed in bars around Sao Paolo.  It is designed to be very interactive, helping guys entertain themselves a bit when making a pit stop.

The Guitar Pee urinal is shaped like a guitar. As the gentleman uses the urinal, the system’s guitar components detect the flow rate and thrust of the urine being released into the urinal.  As the flow and force accelerates, so does the music. When things start to wind down, the guitar recital comes to an end.

MPee3 (The Guitar Pee Add-On)

This system worked with Guitar Pee.  It’s was an app you can download to your phone or other devices.  But here was the big feature of the MPee3 system.  It allows you to stream the musical performances of other Guitar Pee performers. That way you can share your special urinal event – as well as those of others - with all your friends.

Mr. Friendly
This urinal is still around.  A Dutch start-up invented Mr. Friendly, calling him a "smart urinal." It’s “smart,” because it is a waterless urinal, but more than that, it entertains users with advertisements. Here's how it works.

As soon as a gentleman steps up to it, the urinal starts showing advertisements from all types of organizations on a screen – from cars and men's clothing manufacturers to local flower shops.  Because Mr. Friendly is often found on commuter trains in Holland, possibly the flower shop owners see this as a perfect time to remind men to bring home some flowers.  

As with Guitar Pee and MPee3, sensors know when Mr. Friendly has a captive audience - of one - and it begins the advertisements. 

And a captive audience, it is.  The unspoken word when using public urinals is you always look straight ahead. And straight ahead just happens to be where the Mr. Friendly advertising screen is located.

Once again, sensors tell the system when their captive audience has left.

Target Practice

How about some target practice?  Back in Victorian England, urinals were often decorated with images of a honeybee. The bee was placed near the bottom of the urinal and was designed to help gentleman instinctively aim for the target.  It definitely made peeing fun.

Examples of these bees installed in urinals can be found in Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.  Along with bees placed at the bottom of the urinal, we also have a company that still makes decals that look like flies and other insects.

Along with providing the user with a target practice, they are designed to improve cleanliness and reduce cleaning costs.  They also help reduce splashback. That’s when urine splashes back on clothing, hands, and shoes, a challenge that is more common than men realize.

Easy-Peasy

Finally, Larry David of Curb Your Enthusiasm has come up with his own urinal.  Still a concept, David calls it Pee Cube.  He says the thought behind the Pee Cube was to make using a urinal more hygienic and to ensure that urinating in a public restroom is "easy-peasy."

Here's how Pee Cube works:

·      The user enters a "structure," as David calls it. This is made up of partitions on either side of the urinal, enclosing it, and providing privacy.

·      As the user enters the structure, he steps onto two large foot pedals on the floor.

·      Stepping onto the foot pedals signals a trap door to lift, revealing the Pee Cube urinal.

·      But that's not all. Sensors move the urinal up or down - based on the crotch height of the user.

·      When the user steps off the pedals, the trap door closes, the urinal automatically flushes, and once again, disappears from view.4

That's the gist of it. The Pee Cube may be more practical than the other types of urinals just discussed, but all share the same thing in common, at least initially: They get you thinking about something else for a few minutes other than the pandemic and hopefully put a smile on your face.

We can use that right now.

Will Water Become a Luxury in the US?

Adding to the many other challenges this country faces right now – the pandemic, a struggling economy, public unrest, and general confusion – we need to add something more: water bills. 

The problem is that water bills in the U.S. are on the rise, just as many people find themselves out of work. In fact, in 12 diverse cities, combined costs of water and sewage have increased by an average of 80 percent between 2010 and 2018. 

According to a study by the Guardian newspaper, the result is that two-thirds of residents in some U.S. cities can no longer afford their water bills. To come to this conclusion, the Guardian determined that if a water bill exceeds four percent of a household's total income, it is considered unaffordable.

The reason the water bills are going up is not news. Communities have been grappling with water infrastructure problems for years.  Further, many are being forced to add water structure to address growing populations, deal with climate change issues, and grapple with fuel hikes.

As to the twelve cities where water is now unaffordable for a significant percentage of residents they are the following:

1. New Orleans

2. Cleveland

3. Santa Fe

4. San Diego

5. Austin

6. Philadelphia

7. Seattle

8. Tucson

9. San Jose

10. Indianapolis

11. Fresno

12. Charlotte, North Carolina

"More people are in trouble, and the poorest of the poor are in big trouble," said Roger Colton, a leading utility analyst. He was commissioned by the Guardian to analyze water poverty. "The data shows that we've got an affordability problem in an overwhelming number of cities nationwide that didn't exist a decade ago, or even two or three years ago in some cities."  

You might wonder if the Federal government is stepping up to the plate to address this situation. The answer is no. Again, as reported in the newspaper, "federal aid to public water utilities… has plummeted while maintenance, environmental and health threats, climate shocks, and other expenditures have skyrocketed."

According to some observers, what is happening is that water is becoming a "luxury" in parts of this country. For instance, in Austin, TX, if water bills continue to go up, it is believed that 80 percent of low-income residents will face unaffordable bills by 2030.

You might also be wondering if water bills are no longer affordable for some households, will their water be turned off? The answer is: it's already happening. In Philadelphia, some people have been without water service for years. 

Residents use plastic bags for the toilet and bottled water to wash their hands, reports the newspaper. 

So, what can we do?

It is an exceedingly difficult situation and will require all branches of government – Federal, state, and local – to come up with workable solutions. 

Plus, private industry should be called in to see where savings can be found now and long-term.  

For the rest of us, the way we can help is to reduce water consumption and use water more efficiently. We see this happen every day as more and more facilities install water using devices, including restroom fixtures such as waterless urinals, that reduce consumption dramatically. This will put less pressure on water utility companies, giving them more time - and some much need breathing room  - to build up water infrastructure.   

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

Waterless Co "Baja" Urinal Ranked Best No-Water Urinal of 2020

July 30, 2020 – Vista, CA - According to Nestlord, a product review service affiliated with Amazon.com, the best no-water urinal for 2020 is the "Baja" from Waterless Co. Inc.

The review states that among the reasons the Baja was selected was because the cartridges used with the Baja only need to be "replaced two to four times in a year" and only cost $10.

This is far less expensive than the cartridges used, for instance, in other water-free urinals.  Plus, cartridges used in competing no-water urinals often need to be changed six or more times per year.

Atlanta Falcons Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Among the other benefits pointed out in the review are the following:

·       The Baja is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant

·       The Baja comes with two EcoTrap cartridges, considered the best in the industry.

·       BlueSeal liquid is used in these cartridges, which prevents odors from being released.

·       The Baja is also "easy to install and connects directly with two-inch standard drain lines," allowing it to be installed in almost all facilities.

"Of course, we are very proud of the Baja," says Klaus Reichardt, CEO, and Founder of Waterless Co.

"It has been our bestselling no-water urinal for years.  We are also grateful it was honored as 'The Best Waterless Urinal of 2020.'"

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 company was started in 1991 and is the oldest manufacturer of waterless urinals in North America.  The company’ manufacturers a full line of Waterless No-Flush urinals, cleaning liquids, and cost saving restroom accessories. For more info, email us at info@waterless.com or visit: www.waterless.com 

The Splashback, Urinal, and COVID Connection

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that coronavirus can spread in an infected person's urine.

Referred to as "viral shedding," this means if traces of contaminated urine become aerosolized and inhaled, the disease can infect others in the restroom.

The setting in which this is most likely to happen is around urinals.

"The reason it is such a problem around urinals is due to the flushing of a traditional urinal and 'splashback,'" says Klaus Reichardt, CEO, and Founder of Waterless Co., Inc. 

To help prevent this and protect health, Reichardt suggests building managers do the following:  

·       Increase urinal cleaning frequencies, "and make sure all surfaces surrounding the urinals are cleaned and disinfected."

·       Block off every two urinals so there is more distance between urinal users

·       If possible, reduce water flow rates; this will help reduce the pressure of the flush

·       Have posters made encouraging men to urinate at a 90-degree angle. "Urinating in the water (at the base of the urinal) causes the most splatter and aerosolization."

·       Gentleman might consider sitting instead of standing; the stream is five times faster when standing at a urinal than when sitting in a toilet.

·       Install waterless urinals; because there is no flush of water, aerosolization is substantially eliminated.

·       Use a paper towel to touch the flush handle

·       To foster social distancing, place distancing markers on the floor behind the urinals.

·       Place mats under urinals to absorb splatter and change them frequently

"In the past, the big problem with splashback is that if the pee puddles, for instance on floors, it breeds bacteria and is one of the reasons public restrooms can smell," adds Reichardt. 

"But now, that bacteria may include the pathogens that cause COVID. This makes splashback a much more serious problem that must be addressed."

Restroom Vandalism in China, El Paso, and Atlanta. It's More Similar Than You May Think

Usually, when we hear about China, it's related to the coronavirus or trade issues. What we don't hear that much about is this: restroom vandalism.

But apparently, according to Kate Navarra, a freelance writer writing in Park & Recreations Magazine, Chinese vandals are famous for routinely targeting concession stands, storage sheds, and public restrooms in just about all corners of the country. 

Photo by Jonathan Beckman on Unsplash

Sometimes the public restrooms, if they have showers, become the "individuals personal shower stall," which they manage to use long after the restroom has been closed for the day. Further, while there, they often "decorate" these restrooms and fixtures with their personal brand of graffiti.

In one Chinese public restroom, the problem was not so much graffiti or turning the public restroom into a personal restroom. It was theft. Thieves were removing so much toilet paper from the restroom, "officials installed facial recognition software in the restrooms" to help prevent it.

The way this worked was the toilet paper was installed on rolls inside the walls of the restroom.

When someone wants toilet paper, they must stare at a machine for three seconds. The system would then dispense two-feet of toilet paper.

But that's not all. Because the system was equipped with facial recognition technology, in most cases, it could recognize and identify the person asking for the toilet paper. For many people, this was considered "too much information" for the government to have.

Further, if the individual wanted or needed more toilet paper, "they must wait nine minutes before being doled out a second ration," according to Navarra.

But we cannot point the finger just at China. We have our own problems over here. 

For instance, El Paso, Texas, has more than 250 parks and 16 recreational centers all equipped with park restrooms. Theft and vandalism was an ongoing problem in all these sites, but especially in one in particular. 

To stop theft at this problem location, maintenance crews placed a quarter-inch metal plate over the entire restroom door, covering the door and its locking mechanism. Without the keys to the metal door, "you had to reach in a contorted fashion to unlock the door." 

Guess what? El Paso apparently has many contortionists. The door and the restroom were broken into regularly.

What surprisingly did help in the El Paso parks were solar powered motion triggers installed in the restrooms. If someone enters – meaning breaks in - after hours, the system plays a pre-recorded announcement that they are not to be in the restroom and are being photographed. And, sure enough, they were. 

Cameras in hidden areas of the restroom began flashing. Using a Bluetooth connection, the images were sent to the Park District and shared with the local police. "Since installation, we have not had one incident" in this location, says one of the park administrators.

However, these systems do not come cheap. They cost about $8,000 per unit.

Another problem some restrooms have in this country is that people move in, making them their residence. In the process, they take whatever they can. This has been a problem with Atlanta's MARTA system, the city's subway, which has several one-person restrooms. 

Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash

To address this, administrators have installed "smart" devices that can tell how long someone has been in the restroom.  These devices serve two purposes. 

·         First, if someone has entered the restroom and there is no movement after ten minutes, station attendants are instructed to see if everything is alright or if there is a health emergency. It has, and does happen.

·         In other cases, if there is no movement after ten minutes, it means someone has moved in for the night. Once again, the station attendant comes in, but this time to ask the person to move on.

However, since these "smart" devices have been installed in the subway restrooms, administrators report that vandalism and theft from the restrooms have dropped significantly.  It appears, whether in China or here in the U.S., it is new technology that is protecting our public restrooms.

Six Changes to Expect in the Post COVID Restroom

Photo by Franck V. on Unsplash

We have heard it several times before: COVID is changing everything, and one of the areas in a commercial facility that will be changing the most, and very soon, are restrooms.  As businesses around the country and the world begin reopening, some have already made these changes.

Among them are the following:

1.  Sinks and Countertops

Photo by Buchen WANG on Unsplash

Many facilities are removing sinks from restrooms.  Where there may have been three, there are now only two.  The reason for this is to allow more space between the sinks.

Remember, more space – or shall we say enhanced distancing – is one of the key ways to stop the spread of this disease. 

However, the materials used are also changing. What we will see more of is the use of exceptionally smooth, non-porous materials.  Right now, natural and synthetic quartz are getting quite a bit of attention. These smooth surfaces help prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, or soil accumulation.

2.  Antimicrobial Finishes

Many commercial restrooms, by law, must have such things as grab bars installed in their restrooms.  Studies have found that these can become very germ-infested, very quickly.  Further, they are not often cleaned as frequently as they should, and are often overlooked entirely when it comes to cleaning.

Expect grab bars and other high-touch metal surfaces in restrooms to be manufactured with antimicrobial coatings. In some cases, copper will be used.  Copper is inherently antimicrobial.  These items will still need to be cleaned. It's just that the copper or coatings will help delay or minimize the contamination that can build up on these surfaces.

3.  Changing Soap Locations

Wall dispensers for soap may be a thing of the past.  Typically, when these are installed, one dispenser is installed for every two or three sinks.  The problem is that in the process of reaching over to grab the dispenser, soap can drip onto the counter, on faucet handles, or onto the floor, potentially spreading contaminants.  In the future, expect each sink to have its own soap dispenser, comfortably located close by.

4.  Central Washing Stations

The typical American restroom has one wall for sinks, and opposite the sinks, are toilets and urinals.

In Europe, on the other hand, many restrooms are designed with a central washing station in the middle of the restroom. Toilets and urinals are installed around the parameter of the restroom.

Why would this be better?  With the European design, there is greater room circulation and fewer people bundle up in one central area – to use the sinks – than with the American layout.

5.  Touchless Everything

Every restroom fixture that once needed to be touched – for instance, to flush - will now have auto sensors determining when flushing is called for or water is required. Going "touchless" has been evolving for more than a decade. However, COVID has accelerated the pace.

This also makes it easier for custodial workers to keep restrooms cleaner and more hygienic.  For instance, over the years, with the installation of more waterless urinals, cleaning workers have found them to be easier to clean and maintain.  This is because they do not have any type of flush handle to wipe and disinfect.

6.  Improved Ventilation

Expect ventilation systems to be enhanced considerably in the post-COVID restroom.  The goal is not just more air in the restroom.  We want more air movement with more fresh air mixed with treated air.

While the jury is still out, it is believed COVID germs can become aerosolized, collect, and remain in the air.  With these enhanced ventilation systems, they will be removed from the restroom, so that they are not inhaled.

Rethinking the Restroom in the Post COVID Era

The following article was published in CMM in July 2020. 

Have you ever gone into a public restroom and heard someone in the next stall having what sounds like a conference call with a dozen people? 

Expect those “conference calls” along with 20-minute “beautifying” sessions in public restrooms to be things of the past in the post-COVID-19 era.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

“Public restrooms are no longer the place to use your phone, do your hair and makeup, [or] that sort of stuff,” Elizabeth Scott, an associate professor of biology at Simmons University in Boston and founder of the Simmons Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community, says in a recent article in New Jersey’s The Daily Journal. “You [will] want to get in and out of there as fast as possible.”

This is just one of several changes we can expect. Along with modifications in the way's restrooms are cleaned and sanitized, we can anticipate major structural redesigns as well.

Some of these shifts are long overdue. For instance, have you ever opened a restroom door to find a line of people inside waiting to use the facility? Consider that another condition of the past. More restrooms will be designed with availability indicators. As one person leaves, a light installed outside the restroom will turn from red to green to indicate the next patron may enter.

Further, restroom users may no longer come in and leave through the same door. Especially in larger restrooms, you can soon expect two automatic doors—one for entry and one for exit. This not only will help regulate occupancy but will also reduce the number of surfaces touched. More restrooms will also have s-shaped doorless entries, such as those in airports and other heavily used facilities.

Protection from the plume

Of interest to cleaning professionals, restroom design will include features to deal with toilet plume—aerosolized droplets of water that spread germs.

“Plume, whether from toilets or urinals, is caused when they are flushed,” says Klaus Reichardt, CEO and founder of Waterless Co. Inc. “They release germ-infected particulates that invariably land on nearby surfaces, but which can also be inhaled.”

The problem may be worse with urinals as plume can also be released through splatter when the urinal is being used. According to Reichardt, cleaning professionals have known about plume for years but it is of greater concern today because recent studies have reported traces of the novel coronavirus in urine and solid waste.

“If these particulates are inhaled or touched when they land on surfaces, cross-contamination can begin, causing the spread of the disease,” he says.

To address this situation, more facilities are likely to consider installing no-water urinals. No water means no splatter and no flushing, which means no plume.

Photo by Lazar Gugleta on Unsplash

As for toilets, we may see the comeback of the toilet lid. These were removed decades ago in commercial facilities because they added to the cost of the toilet and were one more thing to clean. However, lids can play a key role in controlling plume by blocking its release or minimizing the particles that become airborne.

Social distancing

Along with the loss of toilet lids, many restrooms no longer have partitions between urinals. Most likely the reasons for this are similar to why toilet lids disappeared; partitions require the added cost of installation and increase the number of surfaces that must be cleaned.

But in the post COVID-19 restroom, keeping a six-foot distance between restroom patrons is ideal. The simplest way to accomplish this is to put more space between urinals and to install partitions—or  longer partitions—between urinals. We can expect to find these solutions implemented in men’s restrooms moving ahead.

Enhanced ventilation

After the 2002-2003 outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong, studies indicated that poor ventilation played a role in exacerbating the spread of the disease. It is believed the same may be true with COVID-19. Joe Allen, director of Harvard’s Healthy Buildings Program, says in a recent article on nationalgeographic.com, “I always remind people to check the exhaust in the bathroom.” He added that moving “dirty” air out of the restroom is one of the best ways to safeguard against contamination.

Gender-neutral options

Gender-neutral restrooms were the talk of the restroom industry about two decades ago. Several avant-garde hotels and commercial properties wanted to be the first to install them. However, they never really took off.

But COVID-19 may have turned things around. With a gender-neutral restroom, toilets are housed in individual stalls. These stalls often have floor-to-ceiling partitions, eliminating open top and open bottom partitions, making them fully enclosed with walls. Sinks are available in a common area.

A totally enclosed stall offers privacy and safety, as well as social distancing. Steven Soifer, cofounder of the American Restroom Association, is advocating the installation of “single-person, gender-neutral restrooms.”  However, this may be a costly option.

The journey continues

We can expect more changes in the post-COVID restroom. “This really is becoming a journey,” says Reichardt. “Even when COVID is no longer an issue, it will have caused many restroom manufacturers to reconsider how restrooms are used and how they can be redesigned to further promote health and safety.”

The Ultimate in Low Impact Restroom Fixtures

When we hear the words "low impact," what often comes to mind is different types of cardio machines in a gym. A low-impact cardio machine allows us to exercise, but with less impact on bones, tendons, knees, and joints compared to other types of cardio machines.

Of course, these words are used in other realms as well, especially the environment.  

For instance, the official definition of green cleaning products is that they have a reduced impact on the environment compared to traditional cleaning solutions. In other words, they have a low or lower impact on the environment when compared to other cleaning products.

Today, we are starting to hear this term applied to restrooms, specifically the toilets and urinals in a restroom. For instance, a low-impact toilet uses far less water than a traditional toilet, especially one that is several years old.

According to an article in the San Francisco Gate newspaper, in homes, toilets account for about 30 percent of all the water used in the average home. If all those toilets were replaced with low-impact toilets, which use far less water, "it would save more than two billion gallons of water per day." (Italics added.)

Along with toilets that use about 1.6 gallons of water per flush, some other forms of low, or at least reduced impact toilets, include the following:

Image: compostingtoiletsusa.com

Composting toilets. Just small amounts of water are used with these toilets, just enough to allow aerobic bacteria to break down waste. The "finished product" can then be buried or hauled away.  

Recirculating toilets. These toilets do not use water, a significant savings. Instead, they use mineral oil. "Solid and liquid waste is separated and filtered out of the oil medium and stored for later removal," according to the newspaper, "while the oil is recycled back into the toilet for reuse."

Toilets on fire. Yes, you read that right. Incinerating toilets use a heating chamber to burn waste after every use. They can reduce the amount of waste after each use into a tablespoon of sterile ash. While these are low-impact toilets because they do not use water and reduce waste so significantly, they do require gas or electricity for the fire and do create some air pollution.

Low Impact Urinals

A low impact urinal is one that also uses as little water as possible. Possibly, the easiest way to explain what a low impact urinal is, is to describe what it is not, such as the following:

· Any urinal manufactured before 1992. Surprisingly, there are still many of these around. Before 1992, there were few regulations as to how much water a urinal could use per flush. As a result, these urinals often used several gallons of water per flush.

· Many urinals more than ten years old. The problem with older urinals is that they tend to use more water per flush with age. Unless the flush mechanisms have been updated, they may not be releasing 1 gallon of water with each flush as they were when manufactured. The pressure may be higher – releasing more water - or lower, releasing too little water, often requiring more than one flush to remove waste.

Today, there are only two types of low impact urinals:

Urinals that use about a half-gallon of water per flush. These are found primarily in California, which now requires them with new installations. While these are considered low impact urinals, because they still do use water, many refer to them as "reduced" impact urinals.

Urinals that use no water at all. Waterless urinals are the ultimate low impact restroom fixture because they use no water whatsoever. Further, these low impact urinals do not produce any air pollution, need mineral oil, or fire. Instead, they work with no impact at all on the environment.

When it Comes to Water, You Have Two Choices: Wash Hands or Cook Food

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Effective and frequent handwashing are considered essential in preventing the spread of COVID-19.   However, we are learning some things about hand washing and water around the world that we may not have realized.

For instance, did you know that according to a study by the U.K.’s University of Birmingham, conducted in late 2019, fully 77 percent of the people surveyed in China did not wash their hands after using the toilet. It just was not a regular habit as it has become in so many other parts of the world.

In India, the same study found hand washing routines are better, but not much.  The researchers reported that 60 percent of those surveyed did wash their hands after using the toilet, but 40 percent of those surveyed said they did not. 

We should also add that washing hands, according to the researchers, meant using soap.

In both India and China, some people rinsed their hands with water and some dried them off before leaving the washroom. However, because they did not use soap, they were counted as "non-hand washers," and rightfully so. 

Photo by Christine Sandu on Unsplash

Soap loosens and breaks down soils so they can be washed off hands.  Rinsing alone does not do this.

Since COVID, people in both countries have increased their hand washing rituals, which means they are also using soap.

Some are even washing their hands for twenty seconds or longer, as is recommended. “The change and awareness about [hand washing] now, as compared to a few weeks ago, is phenomenal,” says VK Madhavan, CEO of WaterAid India.

But the study also revealed something about water issues gripping much of India, especially in the remote sections of the country. For many people, water is so limited that people have two choices regarding how they use water:

·  One, they can wash their hands, or

·  Two, they can cook food.

Here’s the situation.

Each time a member of an Indian family washes their hands, they consume more than a half-gallon of water. If a family of four washes their hands ten times per day, that necessitates the use of more than 21 gallons of water.

If this were in the U.S., where each person uses, on average, 100 gallons of water per day, this would not be a significant amount. But in India, where an entire family of four may only have about ten gallons of water to use each day, this is a tremendous amount of water.

And things get worse.

In some of the most remote and drought-ridden regions of the country, there is one shared tap for every five households. This means each family may have access to only a few gallons of water each day. About 142 million households in India are in this situation.  Therefore, these families have just the two choices mentioned earlier when it comes to water: wash hands or cook food.

“To expect that people in water-deficient regions [of India] will prioritize handwashing over daily living is nothing short of a cruel joke,” says Mangal Singh, a resident in one of these remote areas of the country.

Possibly, we are doing a bit too much finger-pointing at India. Worldwide it is estimated that as many as three billion people - more than 40 percent of the world’s population - are essentially in the same situation. They either lack the water resources to wash their hands and cook food or have the water but don’t have soap to wash their hands properly.

So, what is the world doing about this?

Because the pandemic has put the world into an emergency, the United Nations and other organizations, as well as governments such as the Indian government, are working much harder to make sure people have water. The goal is for every household in these remote areas to have access to at least 15 gallons of water per day by 2025.

But this goal is viewed as “ambitious.” Further, if a vaccine is developed to prevent COVID or new treatments come available, it is believed this goal will fall by the wayside.

Hopefully, that will not be the case. Proper hand hygiene promotes health at all time, not just during a pandemic.

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