The first hands-free, motion-sensing electronic faucets were installed in airports in the 1950s. Over the decades, they have made their way into more commercial locations such as hotel properties, and today they are the fixture of choice in many facilities.
There is a good reason for this. Faucet handles specifically can be a hotbed of germs and bacteria. According to one study by the Hygiene Council, which does ongoing evaluations to monitor infection threats, 60 percent of faucets and faucet handles fail tests of basic hygiene standards and criteria due to heavily concentrated levels of bacteria, often from feces. Another study by the council found more than 6,000 bacteria per square inch in an examination of 35 bathroom faucet handles. Toilet seats, in comparison, were found to have 295 bacteria per square inch.
It is because of studies like these that hands-free technology has become so common, especially in the past 15 years. Furthermore, increasing numbers of manufacturers of commercial restroom fixtures are introducing hands-free technology to the residential market, where they expect the fixtures to be just as popular.
While hands-free fixtures definitely can play a role in stopping the spread of contamination, there are concerns about some other claims made my manufacturers about hands-free fixtures—specifically that they help reduce water consumption. In one article published in a leading plumbing and mechanical trade publication, the editor writes, “according to many plumbing manufacturers, a touchless faucet…can [not only] inhibit the spread of germs [but also] help save up to 70 percent of water.”
How Hands-Free Systems Work
In most cases, this claim is made because a hands-free system is designed to release water only when it detects, by means of electronic sensors, that a user is present. And then, as soon as the user leaves the faucet area, the release of water is stopped, eliminating waste. Some hands-free systems take this a step further and have a timed-release mechanism that kicks in after three to five minutes of water use, turning the water off even if it detects a user is present.
However, when the concern is water efficiency and finding ways to reduce water consumption, a 70 percent claim in water reduction may potentially be misleading. In fact, there are studies that show just the opposite can be true.
For instance, a study often cited was prepared by Bill Gauley of Veritec Consulting Inc. and John Koeller of Koeller & Co. It covered a 23-month period and was reported in 2010. The study was conducted at an office building in Tampa, Fla. Sensor-controlled fixtures from a major manufacturer were installed in all restrooms on one floor of the building. The other floors had traditional manually controlled fixtures. All floors had about the same number of restroom users.
After the 23-month test period, the authors came to the following conclusion: While the results achieved in this relatively small-scale project may not necessarily be indicative of results that might be achieved in other projects, they clearly indicate a significant increase in water demands when manually-operated plumbing fixtures on the seventh floor were converted to sensor-operated models. The total average daily demand of the men’s and ladies’ washrooms almost doubled from 654 to 1,243 gallons per day when all faucets, urinals, and toilets were converted to sensor-operated units.
‘Phantom Flushes’ Common
Two possible explanations for these counterintuitive results are “phantom flushes” and repair issues. Hotel administrators should be wary of these potential problems when they are considering water-saving claims by fixture manufacturers. A phantom flush is when, due to light changes, shadows, or even minor movement in the restroom, the electronic sensors in the fixture are triggered and water is released. This is relatively common and is believed to waste thousands if not millions of gallons of water each year as a result.
Another factor is that hands-free systems are prone to repair issues. While many of these problems have been corrected over the years, as with any technology, glitches do happen—especially in restrooms that are heavily used such as in airports and convention centers. Once again, it is estimated that huge volumes of water are wasted due to these repair issues.
Our goal here is to encourage hotel administrators, most of whom are now putting much greater emphasis on water efficiency, to do their homework when it comes to fixtures to be installed in guest and public restrooms. Installing them for health is one thing. Installing them to reduce water consumption may not be so effective.
What hotel administrators can do is ensure that they have installed high-performance toilets, many of which use less than the federally mandated amount of water required per flush; low-flow urinals; and aerators in all faucets. To enhance water efficiency specifically and to protect human health, the installation of no-water urinals is the next step. Along with saving as much as 35,000 gallons of water per year, no-water systems have no handles, so there is nothing to touch and nothing to repair.
Klaus Reichardt is Founder and CEO of Waterless No-Flush Urinals, Vista, Calif. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues. He can be reached at klaus@waterless.com.
