The Why’s of Reducing Water Consumption

Here at Waterless Co. Inc., we are always discussing why we must reduce water consumption and take steps to use water more efficiently and wisely. The reasoning behind this seems obvious: water is our most precious resource. In times of drought, it can become very finite, making the need to reduce consumption even more critical.

However, let's look at the big picture. What are some of the key reasons we should reduce water consumption and make it a lifestyle, in our personal and professional lives going forward? 

Among the reasons are the following:

Photo by Ishan @seefromthesky on Unsplash

Population Growth

In 1950, 2.5 billion people were living in the world. By 1970, that jumped to 3.7 billion. In 1990, 5.2 billion people were living on our planet. By 2020, it is estimated we have now crossed over the eight billion mark. 

In other words, there are nearly four times more people alive today than 70 years ago. Now I ask you, have our freshwater supplies increased four times during this period? No, at best, they have stayed the same. Therefore we must use water much more efficiently, conservatively, and develop more technologies that help us do this.

Rising Costs.

Since 2007, the cost of water in the San Diego area has doubled. In Chicago, water and sewer rates are almost four times more today than a decade ago. Since 2007, the cost of water in New York City has increased by approximately 80 percent.

See a trend here? Water rates will continue to go up around the country, and because the Federal government is only offering states minimal help – at this time – in updating their water infrastructure, expect these rates to go up even more in the future. If we reduce water consumption, we still will be paying more for water. But we will be paying far less than if we had taken no steps to reduce consumption.

Political Conflict

Most experts believe that the demand for water will exceed availability by 2040. It may even come sooner due to climate change. What happens when there are water shortages? Among other things, food scarcities occur, electricity is limited, economic activity is negatively impacted, and governments become unstable. When all of these dominoes start falling, conflict is often the outcome. We already have border conflicts in the US, Africa and South America.

Chemical Use

All the water we use at home or in buildings becomes effluent and flows to treatment facilities. We need filters and chemicals to clean our effluent so it can become irrigation water or is sent to rivers and oceans. We need to reduce chemical use everywhere and reducing the amount of water we use reduces the amount of chemicals used.

The Environment

Many water utility companies in the U.S. use natural gas, petroleum, and some still use coal to power their operations. While natural gas is the cleanest source, all produce pollution, and they do so in such large quantities that it is harming the environment. We sometimes forget, but it takes energy to deliver and remove water from homes and commercial facilities as well as use huge amounts of energy to treat effluent.

If we reduce water consumption, we can help reduce the power needs of water utilities, helping to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere. We could call this an example of “positive” dominos falling.

Using water more efficiently and responsibly requires forethought and strategy. In commercial facilities, look to where you are using the most water. Unless your building has large landscaped areas, most water is used in the restrooms. That's an excellent place to start looking for ways to reduce consumption.

For homeowners there are only three words they need to reduce water consumption: aerators, aerators, aerators.

Installing aerators in faucets and showers can cut water consumption dramatically. And because most aerators only cost about $2.00 and can be installed in minutes, the return on the investment starts in seconds. 

Hard to beat that.

For more information on how to reduce water consumption, waterless urinals, and to use water more efficiently, contact a Waterless Co Specialist

Plumbing problems due to the coronavirus pandemic is possible

While millions of people are under orders to stay home amid the coronavirus pandemic, water is sitting in the pipes of empty office buildings and gyms, getting old and potentially dangerous.

When water isn’t flowing, organisms and chemicals can build up in the plumbing. It can happen in underused gyms, office buildings, schools, shopping malls and other facilities. These organisms and chemicals can reach unsafe levels when water sits in water pipes for just a few days. But, what happens when water sits for weeks or months?

Photo by Wilhelm Gunkel on Unsplash

There are no long-term studies of the risks and only minimal guidance to help building owners prepare their water for use again after a long shutdown.

As researchers involved in building water safety, we study these risks and advise building owners and public officials on actions they can take to reduce the potential for widespread waterborne disease. A new paper highlights these issues and our concerns that the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders may increase the chance of harmful water exposure when people return.

What happens when water gets old?

To find out, click here to read more on GreenBiz.com.

Warnings of bacteria lurking in water systems while buildings are empty

Stagnant water inside buildings can become a spawning ground for potentially lethal bacteria, including Legionella, Portland city officials warned.

Legionella can cause Legionnaires’ diseases, a kind of pneumonia.

"Water delivered to your building by the Portland Water Bureau is safe to drink and is not impacted by the COVID-19 virus," a city press release stated.

"However, reduced occupancy of buildings, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, can lead to poor water quality and increase the risk related to Legionella bacteria," the release stated. "Water that sits in pipes for long periods of time without flushing can have negative impacts on water quality and human health."

To read more, click here to read the article on Portland Business Journal.

Should You Select Waterless Urinals? These Questions May Help You Answer that Question

Most building owners and managers realize the value waterless urinals bring to the table. They know they reduce water consumption, often dramatically, which in turn can reduce energy and operating costs. However, while the benefits are recognized, many still question if they are needed in their facilities.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

To help address this, we have prepared the following ten questions building owners and managers should ask themselves. (TIP: If you answer yes to five or more, waterless urinals should be a consideration)

Pencils and paper ready?  Here are the questions:

1.  Are there 50 or more males using your facility each day? While there would be benefits in both water and operating cost savings, it would likely not be enough to warrant installing no-water urinals with fewer than ten males?

2.  Have you been asked to reduce water consumption in the past three years? In most cases, if utility companies have asked you to cut back on water use at least once in the past few years, you can expect to be asked to do so again and possibly scale back even more in the future. In such cases, a long-term water reduction strategy, including installing waterless urinals, is recommended.

3.  Have your water and sewer rates been going up substantially? The keyword here is “substantially.” While the average water increase in the U.S. is about three percent per year, some areas have witnessed far more significant increases. If your water bill has been going up substantially, waterless urinals is one way to keep them in check.

4.  Do you expect more tenants moving into your facility? As a result of COVID, many employees are working remotely, which may continue once "shelter in place" orders have been lifted. Unless you are expecting more tenants to move in, at this time, it might be best to hold off on any restroom retrofits until the future is a bit clearer

5.  Are you renovating your restrooms? If so, water-reducing strategies should be high on your list. In such cases, waterless urinals, again should be considered.

6.  Are you seeking LEED certification? One of the easiest ways to earn water-related credits for LEED certification is by installing waterless urinals.

7.  Related to this, is your facility looking for ways to operate more sustainably? Water reduction strategies constitute a significant part of building sustainability, making the installation of waterless urinals something to consider.

8.  Are tax rebates or incentives being offered in your state for installing water-reducing fixtures? The return on installing waterless urinals is about one to two years. If tax rebates or other incentives are available, this can be reduced by a few months if not fully paid depending on the amount of the incentive.

9.  Does your facility use more water than comparable sized properties? Many water utilities are now comparing your facility to similar ones as to water consumption. While many factors can impact how much water one facility uses compared to another, if yours is using considerably more water than others of similar size and occupancy, this should be investigated. Highly likely, others have installed low/water and no/water restroom fixtures.

10. Ready to select waterless urinals?  If not, do not install waterless urinals until you are sure they will prove useful for your facility. Talk to a distributor or contact a major manufacturer of no-water urinals. Bring your questions and concerns with you. These urinals are designed to last for years. Selecting waterless urinals should not be a cost; instead, we want to make sure you view them as a long-term investment.

For more information on how to reduce water consumption, waterless urinals, and to use water more efficiently, contact a Waterless Co Specialist

What We Can Learn from a Water Audit

Many of us know what a water audit is. In simplest terms, it involves finding everywhere that water is being used in a facility. However, what is not always discussed is what we do with the results once an audit is conducted.

For instance, a high-rise condominium conducted a water audit. As is happening throughout the country, their water and sewer bills have been skyrocketing and they were looking for ways to reduce these costs.  

Further, if water bills are going up, this can cause monthly assessments to go up and this applies to hot water as well. If hot water is not being used efficiently, it means the association's utility bill may be impacted, further increasing assessments.

To conduct the water audit, engineers went into each apartment unit, counted how many faucets, toilets, showers, bathtubs, and other water-using fixtures were installed throughout the entire building. One of the first things they discovered was that the number of fixtures installed in the building did not correlate with the original architectural plans for the building back in 1960.

Over the years, with renovations, many more bathrooms had been added. Now they knew precisely how many fixtures were installed.  The water audit also uncovered the following:

• Many fixtures were older, possibly installed when the building was new sixty years ago. This is important information because older fixtures are not water efficient, contributing to the high water bills.

• They found leaks galore. Many were uncovered that tenants had no idea existed. Repairing these would make a big dent in water consumption.

• Some of the bathrooms and kitchens had DIY (do it yourself) fixture installations. This raised alarm bells because many DIY installations are not up to code, often not installed correctly, or are prone to leakage.

• Many of the fixtures, both new and old, were not working properly. This could also contribute to the escalating water and sewer bills.

With this and other information collected, the complex now had a good idea of where water was being used, wasted, the types of fixtures installed, and the age of the fixtures. They also now had a benchmark they could use to track their future progress in reducing water consumption and related costs.

Armed with this information, the condo association took the following steps:

·       Building engineers were brought in to fix leaks.

·       Because there were so many old fixtures in the building, including many original fixtures, the association gave unit owners 18 months to replace those fixtures with new, water-efficient fixtures.

·       Individual water metering systems were installed. Before, none of the tenants knew how much water they were using. Now, they would know.

·       Taking this a step further, water consumption in each unit was compared to consumption in comparable units. The belief was that aware of this comparison, tenants would reduce water consumption.

·       Finally, the association wanted all tenants to know how much water the entire building was using and what it was costing.  

The ultimate result of the water audit was that over a two-year period, water consumption was reduced by over 15 percent. This reduction in water consumption helped lower water bills, lower utility bills, and kept monthly assessments from going up. 

Further, the tenants felt a camaraderie.  They were all proud to have helped make this happen.

For more information on how to reduce water consumption, waterless urinals, and to use water more efficiently, contact a Waterless Co Specialist

“Nudging” People to Reduce Water Consumption

More countries are working with their citizens to become mindful of the amount of water they consume, with the goal of reducing consumption.  This is proving increasingly necessary because even though water-reducing or water eliminating technologies, such as waterless urinals, have lowered consumption dramatically around the world, there is another factor that must be added to the mix.  To make lasting reductions in water consumption and use water more efficiently, we need to change behaviors.

However, changing behaviors is not easy.  During a serious drought, consumers often adhere to consumption restrictions and do reduce water use.  However, when there appears to be no specific reason to reduce consumption, changing behaviors can be much more difficult.

To see what we mean, let’s visit a small town in Costa Rica called Belen. This is a working-class community of just over 20,000 people.  This area of Costa Rica is being impacted by climate change.  The result is that water is not as plentiful as it was a decade ago. Further, to upgrade the water infrastructure to improve supplies would be very costly.

While the community ultimately was “nudged” into reducing water consumption, it took a while.  Some of the obstacles civic leaders encountered were the following:

While people living in Belen realized the community had to reduce water consumption, most people did not believe that meant they had to cut water use. “If someone were to suggest to me that I reduce the amount of water consumed, I would tell him that I am using the amount that is necessary,” was the reply of one resident.  In other words, most people in

Belen thought someone else had to reduce consumption, but not them.

Most of the residents had no idea how much water they were using. Some water bills were mailed out monthly, others quarterly, and still others every few months.  While people knew how much their water bill tended to be with each billing, they paid little or no attention to how this dollar amount translated into gallons.  In other words, they had no idea how much water they were using.

Most residents said their bills were confusing, if not impossible to understand.  The amounts were often listed in cubic meters, and these numbers were mixed with dates and other figures.

Some residents could read their water bills and did know how much water they were using on a set basis. However, they had no idea how this compared to their neighbors. 

Finally, while residents of Belen assumed if they watered their lawns less or took shorter showers, this would reduce water consumption.  But what they did not know is by how much.  Would they save more water if all family members took three-minute showers or was it better to just water lawns every three days instead of every other day?  

For many of us, this might all seem interesting and reflect issues in a country thousands of miles away.  However, if we look more closely, virtually every obstacle discussed here applies to us as well.

For instance:

·        Do you believe you are doing your part, and reducing water consumption, or is it someone else’s problem?

·        Do you know how much water your home uses every day?

·        Can you understand your water bill?

·        Do you pay it without looking to see how much water is being used in your home or facility?

·        If you were a building manager and had to decide between installing “native” vegetation, which uses less water, or retrofitting the facility with waterless urinals, do you know which would produce the most significant water savings?

If we are going to change water consumption behaviors, whether in Costa Rica or the U.S., we must have a much better understanding of our behavior when it comes to water. Water use behaviors can change, but the first step in the process is awareness.

For more information on how to reduce water consumption, waterless urinals, and to use water more efficiently, contact a Waterless Co Specialist

Why You Don’t Want to See a Red Sticker on Your Water Bill

In an earlier blog, we discussed some of the obstacles the small town of Belen, Costa Rica was encountering in its efforts to change behaviors when it comes to reducing water consumption.  In that blog, we discussed that while most people in Belen knew they should be scaling back on their water use, all too many believed it was someone else’s problem, not theirs.  Further, all too many had no idea of how much water they were using each month.

However, we also said this small town was able to overcome these issues.  Here are some of the steps they took:

Some water bills were mailed to Belen residents with a bright-red sticker on the envelope. Not only was there a bright-red sticker, the sticker also had a “frowning face.”  When a customer received water bills like this, they knew right away, they were using too much water in comparison to their neighbors. And guess what, now the post person knew too. 

Instead of red stickers, some consumers received water bills with bright-green stickers and a “smiley face.”  Well, as you might assume, these consumers were being rewarded.  They were using far less water than their neighbors.

Inside all bills was neighborhood water comparison information, so consumers had a better idea of how much water everyone in their neighborhoods used and how they compared. 

Some water bills did not have neighbor comparisons.  Instead, they compared each resident with all the residents in the town of Belen.

Finally, in all water bills was a postcard with a worksheet on one side. The worksheet used the numbers above and allowed each consumer to check one or more of six things they planned to do before their next water bill to reduce consumption.

Photo by Shridhar Vashistha on Unsplash

For instance, they could check:

·        Turn off the tap when brushing teeth.

·        Water the lawn less

·        Check for leaks.

The postcards were then mailed back to the water department and returned with their next bill, so consumers could see how well they did in reducing consumption.  This was also an opportunity for residents to set water reduction goals.

The results of this program proved surprisingly effective:

·        A control group was established that did not receive a red or a green stickered water bill, nor did they have information comparing consumption with neighbors, the town, or have a postcard.  There was a minor reduction in water consumption in this group, but not much.

·        Those consumers that received red stickers comparing their consumption with their neighbors, reduced water consumption by about 1.5 percent.

·        Consumers that were told how their water consumption compared to the entire town, reduced consumption about one percent.

·        Finally, those consumers that filled out the postcard and set water-reducing goals, reduced consumption by almost 2 percent, the most substantial amount.

The researchers concluded, “we find that giving individuals feedback on their [water reducing] outcomes, relative to that of their peers, has measurable effects on water consumption. We also find that a Plan-Making intervention [referring to the post cards] prompts people to set their own goals for water conservation… helps them achieve these goals.”

For more information on how to reduce water consumption, waterless urinals, and to use water more efficiently, contact a Waterless Co Specialist

COVID-19 and Water Entrepreneurs

When we introduced waterless urinals to the North American market 30 years ago, it certainly was not what you would call a high-technology product. It was in many ways a simple system. It just took a little ingenuity and the result was urinals that could save billions of gallons of water per year.

True, it was introduced at a time when many economies around the world were in a recession. The Gulf War had put many things on hold at that time. But that recession was not terribly severe, nor did it last very long.

The situation is different now. 

Will economies around the world go into recession? Most likely, many already have. What we do not know now, no matter what the “experts” might be saying, is how bad and how long this recession will be.

For those of us in the water industry—specifically, those entrepreneurs working to develop new, high-tech water-related technologies—we must ask, how will a worldwide recession impact these new technologies and the entrepreneurs developing them?

To address this, we must focus on the short-term, medium-term, and long-term impacts of both world economies and COVID-19.

Short Term

In the short term, there is good news and not so good news.

Some of the challenges include the fact that many public and private water utility companies are already stretched financially. Many are open to new technologies that can help them improve water infrastructure and efficiency. However, due to COVID-19, they are reluctant to invest in new technologies and have become exceedingly careful with their funding. 

Further, some are understaffed. Although there is no evidence, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that COVID-19 can spread or has been detected in drinking water, most water utilities are asking their staff to stay home if they suspect they may have the virus. This just adds to the stress some water utility companies are grappling with.

For many water entrepreneurs, the unfortunate result is that if they have developed a new water-related technology, they may not have any buyers at this time. Adding a second whammy, for those entrepreneurs still developing technologies, securing seed money from investors may be even harder than it traditionally has been.

However, there is good news. Some of those water utilities that have now become extraordinarily cautious with their funds may be taking a closer look at how they are spending money, searching for ways to reduce waste and expenditures.

Photo by mrjn Photography on Unsplash

Further, the public has realized the importance of clean, treated water. This water is helping us contain the virus and stop it from spreading. In other words, instead of taking clean water for granted as happens in so many parts of the world, the public now realizes water is helping keep them safe and healthy.

Medium Term

Governments around the globe are taking several steps to help us through this recession, shorten it, and come out stronger on the other end. One way they are doing this is by providing loans to private and public entities, including water utility companies. In many cases, these will be the least expensive loans in history. Further, some loans will not need to be paid back at all if borrowers meet specific guidelines in the loan agreements.

The immediate goal of these loans is to help keep businesses afloat and keep people employed. But they are also helping water utility companies address various infrastructure problems today, which they assumed could not be tended to for several years in the future. Essentially, these are long-term investments, much of which will help eliminate water waste by billions of gallons each year.

As for getting people back to work, these loans may help utility companies offer more competitive salaries and benefits, attracting talented people, possibly even the entrepreneurs we mentioned earlier. In the past, these skilled workers avoided utility companies because the wages and benefits of private companies and corporations were higher and hard to overlook. That may change now.

Long Term

In some parts of the world, along with hoarding toilet paper, many consumers were hoarding bottled water when they first learned COVID-19 may be coming to their communities. Invariably, it was unnecessary. But once again, it tells us that consumers now realize the value of potable water—many for the first time. 

Indeed, the recent shutdowns have prompted people to recognize the importance of reliable sources of clean, potable water, when they need it and where they need it. And because consumers have learned to value water so much more, encouraging them to avoid wasting water and to use it more efficiently should be easier than it has been in the past.

As for our water entrepreneurs, my best advice is not to give up. Hang in there. We should see funding and confidence in world economies improve over the next few months. 

In the meantime, do what you can to define refine your technologies and demonstrate their features and benefits.

Astute financial investors are typically ahead of the curve. When they saw the possibilities of waterless urinals, many wanted to be at the front of the line, investing in this technology. The same will be true for water-related technologies still under development. Make sure you are ready to demonstrate the possibilities of your products when these investors come knocking.

Concerns Mount about Dry Floor Drains Spreading COVID-19

The Lancet, the U.Ks. most respected medical journal,  has  reported concerns that COVID-19 can spread via plumbing systems in both homes and commercial facilities.*

"By [their] very design, plumbing systems are a harbinger of pathogenic microorganisms which, under some circumstances, have the potential to enable airborne transmission of viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), which [also] causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19)."

The primary way this happens, according to Klaus Reichardt, CEO and Founder of Waterless Co., Inc. "is that contaminated air drifts up drainpipes carrying droplets of the virus.

This has become more of an issue recently because so many buildings have been closed for more than 30 days. 

"What happens is the P-traps under drains evaporates. When it does, this opens the door for odors, insects, and fumes to be released into the facility."

The problem is exacerbated in some commercial building restrooms, because HVAC systems are designed to extract air from the restroom. 

"This draws contaminated air into the room," which is inhaled by restroom users, according to the Lancet report.

To help address this problem, the report suggests the following:

·      Do not ignore unexplained foul odors in buildings.

·      Open the tap on all water-using fixtures "at least five times a day, paying special attention to floor drains."

·      If a drain or a wastewater pipe appears to be disconnected or cracked, seal it immediately.

·      Regularly inspect drains and pipes used to remove wastewater.

With so many buildings closed, having someone pour water into all water-using fixtures, five times a day, may not be possible. Nor is it necessary, adds Reichardt. "A few ounces of an 'every prime' sealant will replenish the water in P-traps, and should last for months."

Most important, The Lancet report concludes, to help us fight this disease, we must realize there is “the potential for airborne transmission of the virus [through] plumbing systems,” acknowledging it as “a potential transmission pathway for COVID-19."

* "COVID-19: mitigating transmission via wastewater plumbing systems," by Michael Gormley, Thomas J Aspray, and David A Kelly, The Lancet, March 23, 2020