Since the first of the year, we have seen an upsurge in orders for waterless urinals. What appears to be happening is more areas around the country are experiencing water shortages or expect to experience water shortages. 

Further, in worst-case scenarios, such as in California and other western states, aridification has set in. This is the process of the region becoming increasingly dry and often hotter as well.

An old question frequently arises when facilities select no-water urinals: Do waterless urinals release more odors than water-flush urinals? 

Because of this, we are reprinting the following article, which appeared in Facilities Net magazine. 

Two engineers, Doug Yon and David Cossaboon, wrote it. Both are with www.feapc.com and are members of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. 

Here is what they have to say:

The University of South Maine offers an example of implementing this technology and demonstrating it as a viable alternative. The university retrofitted diverse types of waterless urinals in about ten of their thirty buildings as of 2005. The university found that waterless urinals were easier to keep clean and created fewer odors than conventional urinals.

Odor issues typically result from poor cleaning or the need to change liquids or cartridges more regularly. In fact, the university found the touch-free nature of the urinals was a plus.

A study performed at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) to determine how odors differed between waterless and traditional urinals found odors were more a function of urine on floors and surrounding surfaces than the type of urinal.

The study included a section that evaluated odor proliferation from waterless and conventional, flush-valve urinals. Sensors were located on each urinal at three locations: inside and immediately above the bottom; six inches in front of each urinal and level with the bowl lip; and at ceiling height near a return-air vent.

The study concluded no statistically significant differences in odor existed between the two urinal types.

In general, waterless urinals have been better-received and maintained in office environments and higher-education institutions. Installing a test fixture might benefit other areas, including high-traffic locations, settings prone to vandalism and fixture abuse, and K-12 schools.

Another consideration when installing waterless urinals is the professional training of custodial and maintenance personnel. Training will primarily affect the custodial staff because proper cleaning is the key to waterless urinal maintenance.

Staff training should occur before and after installation to alert workers to changes in cleaning and maintenance procedures, including replacing or cleaning cartridges.

Managers will have to determine if waterless urinals are suitable for their buildings. When considering the installation of these urinals, it is essential to identify the products' location and whether installation truly will be cost-effective and environmentally beneficial.

Finally, research has shown waterless urinals are just one way to become more environmentally responsible.

If a facility manager is seriously considering taking positive steps toward creating a water-efficient building, engaging a qualified consulting-engineering service can help evaluate, design, and implement potential water-efficient technologies and strategies.