While waterless urinals are certainly not new—having been available in the United States for nearly 30 years—hotel owners and managers often have several questions about these urinals before selecting them, according to Klaus Reichardt, whose company introduced waterless urinals to the United States three decades ago. Among them are the following:

How do they work? All the systems work primarily the same way. Urine flows down the bowl past a cylinder placed at the bottom of the urinal. This serves as a strainer, catching debris, but also allows urine to flow under the cylinder and past a sealing liquid. This oil-based liquid prevents odors from being released into the restroom.

If they all operate the same, are they all the same? No. The critical difference is in the cylinders just referenced. Some cylinders are more costly than others, while others last longer than others (based on usage). This can play a role in the return on their investment. “It is essential that owners/managers thoroughly investigate the different no-water urinal technologies before making a purchasing decision,” Reichardt says.

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