VISTA, CALIF.—A July 2011 survey by Waterless Co. Inc., manufacturers of no-water urinal systems and related restroom products, asked about 500 facility managers how waterless urinals compare to traditional urinals. The seven-question survey touched upon cleaning and maintenance issues and how fast a no-water system pays for itself due to reduced water and sewer charges.*
According to the replies, 40 percent believed a no-water unit costs more than a water-using urinal. Another 40 percent believed the costs “were about the same,” and 20 percent said they were less. Further, 60 percent believed it cost about the same to install either system; 40 percent thought it was less.
Klaus Reichardt, chief executive officer and founder of Waterless Co., says, “A waterless system typically costs less [to purchase and install] than a conventionally flush urinal because it has fewer plumbing components.”
Other findings include:
• Forty percent believed cleaning and maintaining water/waterless urinals was about the same, 40 percent said it took more time to clean a waterless urinal while 20 percent said it took less.
• Asked what causes urinal malodors, 60 percent indicated it was due to urine deposits while most of the rest said it was due to “lack of flushing.”
• The key sanitation issues managers said they experience with water-using urinals were flushing that expels contaminants on surrounding surfaces and touching the flush valve contamination.
• As to how fast a waterless urinal can pay for itself, 40 percent indicted six to 12 months, 20 percent said 15 to 24 months, and the rest said more than 24 months.**
“The responses were a mixed bag,” says Reichardt.
For instance, he was glad facility managers knew water urinals could disperse contaminants because that can be a health concern.
“But unexpected were answers as to costs [of no-water urinals] and the longer payback periods,” he says. “I guess we have a little more educating to do on no-water urinal systems.”
**Cost savings are the result of reduced water/sewer charges.
*This is not a scientific survey; the survey was conducted online by e-mail invitation and was also posted on a social media site specifically for facility managers.
Go to Waterless.
