With about 1 gallon of fresh water being used on every flush, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to waste water when there is waterless technology available. That’s the primary benefit that comes with the installation of waterless urinals. Although low flushing urinals may provide additional savings over the high water use fixtures of the past, waterless urinals have some specific advantages that make them a tempting installation. There are a few disadvantages to consider as well.
What Are the Pros of Waterless Urinals?
1. They create no limescale within the plumbing.
Because the mineralized fresh water is not being sent through the plumbing to the urinal, there is no limescale buildup within the fixture or the plumbing. That’s because there is a 100% reduction in the water that is used for flushing.
2. They are easier to self-maintain.
The one maintenance issue that waterless urinals face is deodorization. With filters, urinal blocks, and other deodorization methods that control how the urine is disposed of during the draining process, there is less of a need to clean and flush the pipes and cisterns that are connected to the urinal.
3. They are cheaper to install.
Since waterless urinals don’t have a need for flush controllers, they are a lot cheaper to install. The unit only needs to be connected to some form of drainage system in order to properly dispose of the human waste.
What Are the Cons of Waterless Urinals?
1. Existing plumbing needs to be drained and capped.
When existing plumbing fixtures are in place for a standard urinal and waterless urinals are installed as an upgrade, there is a risk for standing water to be found in the existing pipes. This means the water needs to be drained from the pipes and then the plumbing capped for a successful installation.
2. There is a higher exposure risk.
The urine that is found within the basin of a waterless urinal is not going to be diluted at all. Although there are minimal health risks to the contact of urine, there are still additional protocols that need to be followed in order to limit skin contact with the urine, splashing, and other ways that the bodily fluids can come into contact with a cleaner.
3. Higher on-site maintenance may happen.
Although the waterless urinals are easier to self-maintain, they do require an overall higher level of on-site maintenance when compared to traditional flushing urinals. This is usually in the form of hair and debris that tends to get stuck within the components of the waterless urinal.
Does the lack of water being used outweigh the potentially higher maintenance costs and odor issues that may begin to appear when waterless urinals are installed? That’s a decision that must be based on a number of factors, including the environment of the installation site. By weighing the pros and cons of waterless urinals, the right decision can be made.
Crystal Lombardo is a contributing editor for Vision Launch. Crystal is a seasoned writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience. She has been an editor of three popular blogs that each have had over 500,000 monthly readers.
