Water Savings Drive Hotel Adoption of Waterless Urinals

Hotels worldwide are increasingly installing waterless urinals in their public restrooms, a trend driven by significant water and cost savings, practicality, and health benefits. ?

Klaus Reichardt, a leading expert in the field as the CEO and Founder of Waterless Co., Inc, shares the reasons behind this:

• Installation costs are reduced. Because waterless urinals only require a drain connection, the need for water supply plumbing to the urinal is eliminated. This represents significant cost savings, particularly for larger hotels.
• Maintenance becomes a breeze. Unlike traditional urinals that often face issues with tampered flush handles and require ongoing electronic sensors, batteries, and other components maintenance, waterless urinals have none of these issues, making maintenance simpler if not eliminated entirely.

• The impact on water reduction is remarkable. A single waterless urinal typically saves around 35,000 gallons of water annually - equivalent to the amount of water used by a family of four in one year.
• More cost savings. Using less or no water reduces the utility costs related to delivering and removing water from a hotel. In a large hotel, these savings can be substantial, making waterless urinals a financially savvy choice.
• Meeting requirements or earning rebates. In drought-plagued areas of the world, including here in the U.S., installing waterless urinals may be required or encouraged by offering hotels tax benefits. ?

However, there is another reason hotels are installing waterless urinals: health and hygiene benefits.

These include the following:

• When a flush urinal is flushed, it releases a host of harmful germs and bacteria that become airborne and can be inhaled by users. This is referred to as urinal plume. There is no flushing with a waterless urinal, so there is no plume.

• While these germs and bacteria may initially become airborne, they end up landing on nearby surfaces - even the users’ clothing - which can be touched. Touching these surfaces can start the spread of cross-contamination. Waterless urinals eliminate the need to touch a urinal handle or any surface near the urinal. This helps prevent the spread of harmful microorganisms.

• Standing water in a water-using urinal can harbor additional germs and bacteria. Once again, when the urinal is flushed, these bacteria can become airborne and attach to nearby surfaces.

Two Cautions

Although waterless urinals do offer several benefits and savings, hotel owners and managers are encouraged to do their homework when selecting a waterless urinal system. This includes a thorough understanding of how to maintain the urinal once installed. Among the things to understand are the following:

·?????? There are several no-water brands to select from, especially in Europe. However, each is a little different, specifically when it comes to the sealant cylinder (aka trap) placed at the bottom of the urinal. Some cylinders last only two or three months and, ironically, are the most expensive. However, at least one type of waterless urinal uses a cylinder that can last for several months and, once again ironically, is the least expensive. This makes "due diligence" necessary. ?

·?????? While cleaning and maintaining a waterless urinal is similar to a conventional one, there can be differences. Follow the simple instructions provided by the manufacturer for proper cleaning maintenance. ?

·?????? Sealant must be added to the cylinder on a regular basis. The sealant prevents odors from being released into the restroom. Further, after several months of use, the cartridge may need to be replaced with a new one. This is a very easy task.

All of this means that the key reasons hotels select waterless urinals are the well-documented water and cost savings and the health benefits waterless urinals provide.

Further, with proper maintenance, waterless urinals can last for many years, requiring few, if any, service needs – making the job of a hotel manager just a bit easier.

-Klaus ?