Water Terms and Terminology Part II

If you hear someone tell you the water to be delivered to your facility is currently in a “holding tank,” best call the health authorities as quickly as possible.  Water in a holding tank is invariably wastewater. Not only that, its wastewater being stored before it is delivered to a treatment center, so you do not want to be drinking it.

This gives you an idea of how important it is to know your terms and terminology regarding water. Some more terms you should be aware of – and their definitions – include the following:

Hydrologic cycle. Many things in nature follow a cycle.  They move from one form to another and then back again. In the case of the hydrologic cycle, it involves the movement of water from the earth, which evaporates from oceans and waterways, returning to the atmosphere.  From there, it eventually returns back to earth in the form of moisture, where it is absorbed by vegetation or turns into rainfall.

Induced charge.  In our earlier “terms and terminology” blog, we discussed aquifers.  Because so many are now running dry, there is an attempt to replenish them.  This is called an induced charge.

Inorganic substances. Sometimes we hear that water contains inorganic substances.  These are substances not derived from organic matter.  We should add that just because water may contain inorganic substances does not necessarily mean it is unsafe to drink.  Nor are substances that are organic, derived from nature, always safe to drink.  Safety, at this juncture, is not the issue. Instead, it’s whether these substances are inorganic or organic.

Lagoon.  When we hear the word “lagoon,” we often picture a lovely pond.  However, lagoon usually refers to wastewater, especially useful when treating manure from livestock. The lagoon helps breakdown bacteria in the waste.  By the way, a pond is just a body of water smaller than a lake. 

Leachate. Here’s one you probably have not heard before. Leachate refers to a liquid formed when water soaks into and through landfills.  In the process, it picks up and dissolves materials found in waste.  This means it helps break down waste.

Lust.  Don’t get carried away.  Lust has little to do with water and is not something you want to play around with.  A Leaking Underground Storage Tank – LUST – if often used to store gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, and liquid chemicals.  When there is LUST, it means the container is leaking.

Losing stream. You may have read this as losing “steam.”  While we all have days when we feel like we are losing steam, when it comes to losing “stream,” it means that streams of water are disappearing. They are flowing into an aquifer below the earth’s surface.

Percolate. When we see water percolating in a natural environment, it means the water is coming to the top of a mound or through rocks, for instance, but then seeping down that mound or the rocks through pores in the nearby surface.

pH. All liquids have a pH. This refers to the concentration of hydrogen ion in the liquid.  A pH scale runs from 0 to 14.  Values less than seven are acidic, and values greater than seven are alkaline. 

Waterless urinals. These urinals, as the name implies, use no-water.  As they are used, gravity moves urine down the urinal into the sewer below.  A trap or cylinder at the base of the urinal blocks sewer odors, helping to keep the urinal and the restroom odor-free, clean, and sanitary.

Water conservation/Water efficiency. These are two separate terms and do not mean the same thing.  Water conservation is short term scaling back on water consumption, for instance, during a drought.  Water efficiency, on the other hand, refers to long term water reduction. It typically involves installing restroom fixtures that use far less water or no water at all compared to traditional fixtures.

A Lasting Impact Around the Globe by Qatar's Latest Architectural Feat

Image: TalkSport.com

During the month of August, the average temperature in Qatar reaches 105 degrees. The sweltering sun scorches the pavement as the air turns sticky with humidity. It’s safe to say this desert climate can be brutal, which is what makes the logistics of designing buildings in Qatar so important. The third tournament venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup happening in Qatar, during the much cooler months of November and December, has recently been completed. The Education City Stadium has been dubbed “Diamond in the Desert,” for the façade’s diamond-like triangular patterns that sparkle in the sun.

Located inside the Qatar Foundation University Campus, it will hold 40,000 soccer fans for the games. But the excitement over the stadium will continue once the soccer tournament ends. After the final goal of the FIFA World Cup, 20,000 seats will be donated to countries that lack sporting infrastructure and university students will have full access to the stadium.

To read more from Architectural Digest.com, click here.

Preventing Faulty Drainpipes in a Canadian Hospital from Spreading Disease

Right before the Royal Jubilee Hospital was officially opened in Canada in 2004, alarm bells started ringing.  It was discovered that there were more than 100 defective floor drains in the hospital. If the hospital had been fully opened, "it could have put patients and staff at risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)," according to a local news reporter, Malcolm Curtis.

Fortunately, the situation was discovered and rectified soon enough that no illness was linked to the floor drain problem.  What was happening, was that the drains on all floors in the hospital's diagnostic and treatment center, were inundated with what was called "smelly sewer gases escaping into the building," according to the reporter.

“The gases could contain viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome that can be transmitted through breathing, although hospital officials denied that patients were at risk."

As you probably know, the Hong Kong SARS epidemic was ending at about this same time. By then, nearly 800 people had died of the disease. When public health officials and others investigated the cause of the epidemic, they found it centered around one exceptionally large apartment complex, called the Amoy Apartments.  

Apparently, what was happening is that sewer odor fumes, containing the pathogens that caused SARS, were being released through some of the apartment sink and floor drains. This occurred because the P-traps in these apartments, which generally were filled with water, had dried up. This literally opened the door to the sewer - and its odors and pathogens - below the building.

The building soon became the epicenter of the disease.

Concerns are now mounting today that something similar could happen with coronavirus. The pathogens that cause coronavirus are also being found in wastewater. This means that if the water in P-traps has evaporated, coronavirus pathogens could also be inhaled, spreading the disease and possibly causing even more deaths. 

As for the Royal Jubilee Hospital, it appeared that the original drainpipes were not designed properly. To prevent sewer gasses from being released, the hospital staff was pouring water down the drains as often as once per day.  This was not practical.  As a result, hospital engineers began installing new drainpipes along with devices called “trap primer valves” under the more than 100 floor drains.

A trap primer valve is a plumbing device that adds a small amount of water to the P-trap on an ongoing basis. With these installed, hospital staff no longer needed to pour water down the drains daily.

While it was not reported how much it cost the hospital to install these, we can assume it was thousands of dollars.  As a result, we are wondering if far less costly steps could have been taken that would not only have stopped the odors for months but would also have helped ensure the hospital staff and patients would not inhale harmful pathogens.

One far less costly option would be to pour a small amount of water and a few ounces of EverPrime liquid primer in the drains about every three to six months.  EverPrime does not evaporate and can withstand extreme climate fluctuations, from very cold to extremely hot.

We are not sure when EverPrime was invented, so this may not have even been an option available to the hospital back in 2003.  But fortunately, we have it today. This means no building administrators should ever have to grapple with dangerous sewer odors being released in their facilities again.

Facility Managers of Schools beware of dry trap seals in building drains

Thousands of schools around the country are re-opening or plan to do so at some point this fall. Because most of these schools have been closed for months due to COVID-19, school administrators are doing everything possible to make sure schools are not only clean but healthy. However, one troubling area that may be overlooked is right under their feet: floor drains.

Under each floor drain is a trap seal. When it is working correctly, it is filled with water that blocks odors, bacteria, and pathogens – including those that might cause COVID – from being released into the air.

It is when they dry out that serious problems can occur, making the drain an open sewer line.

“Drains provide excellent conditions for these potentially deadly inhabitants to not only survive, but thrive,” says Klaus Reichardt, CEO, and founder of Waterless Co., Inc. “Some of these may even be multi-drug resistant organisms, that are also resistant to traditional cleaning solutions and disinfectants.”

This was one of the causes of the SARS epidemic in Hong Kong. According to a report in Infection Control Today, the World Health Organization found that the U-trap seals (a.k.a. P-trap seals) in the drain pipes at the city’s Amoy Garden apartments triggered the SARS outbreak because the water in the drains had evaporated. 

“These traps are designed to hold water at all times. The water acts as a barrier and prevents insects, foul smells, and, in this case, viruses and bacteria from backing up through the drains.” 1

To address this situation, Reichardt says many cleaning professionals and building engineers pour bleach down the drains.

“However, bleach may just pass through the drain and possibly corrode pipes, especially older pipes.” Instead, he suggests using a liquid “ever prime,” now widely available.  

“Administrators should pour some water and then a few ounces of ever prime liquids into every floor drain before school opening. It will last for months and block fumes and pathogens from being released.”

1 “SARS and Plumbing: The Role Sewage Plays in Spreading Disease,” Infection Control Today, May 13, 2003

Let's Have Some Fun Peeing Again

Boy, it's been rough the past few months. Most of us were in lock down for about three months, our jobs and businesses took a hit, and if you are a parent, your kids were likely driving you slightly crazy. Now adding salt to the many wounds, some areas of the country may be going back into lock down mode.

We need some fun, anywhere and anyplace we can find it.  So, at least for the fellas, how about starting with urinals. A few years back, there were some innovative things happening to urinals in Europe and South America when it comes to urinals. While they may not necessarily be considered "fun," at least in the traditional sense of the word, if we had them again, at least they would likely put a smile on your face.

IMAGE CREDIT: http://www.dudeiwantthat.com/household/bathroom/guitar-pee-musical-urinal.asp

Guitar Pee

As the name implies, this is a musical urinal.  Guitar Pee was made by Billboard Brazil and installed in bars around Sao Paolo.  It is designed to be very interactive, helping guys entertain themselves a bit when making a pit stop.

The Guitar Pee urinal is shaped like a guitar. As the gentleman uses the urinal, the system’s guitar components detect the flow rate and thrust of the urine being released into the urinal.  As the flow and force accelerates, so does the music. When things start to wind down, the guitar recital comes to an end.

MPee3 (The Guitar Pee Add-On)

This system worked with Guitar Pee.  It’s was an app you can download to your phone or other devices.  But here was the big feature of the MPee3 system.  It allows you to stream the musical performances of other Guitar Pee performers. That way you can share your special urinal event – as well as those of others - with all your friends.

Mr. Friendly
This urinal is still around.  A Dutch start-up invented Mr. Friendly, calling him a "smart urinal." It’s “smart,” because it is a waterless urinal, but more than that, it entertains users with advertisements. Here's how it works.

As soon as a gentleman steps up to it, the urinal starts showing advertisements from all types of organizations on a screen – from cars and men's clothing manufacturers to local flower shops.  Because Mr. Friendly is often found on commuter trains in Holland, possibly the flower shop owners see this as a perfect time to remind men to bring home some flowers.  

As with Guitar Pee and MPee3, sensors know when Mr. Friendly has a captive audience - of one - and it begins the advertisements. 

And a captive audience, it is.  The unspoken word when using public urinals is you always look straight ahead. And straight ahead just happens to be where the Mr. Friendly advertising screen is located.

Once again, sensors tell the system when their captive audience has left.

Target Practice

How about some target practice?  Back in Victorian England, urinals were often decorated with images of a honeybee. The bee was placed near the bottom of the urinal and was designed to help gentleman instinctively aim for the target.  It definitely made peeing fun.

Examples of these bees installed in urinals can be found in Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.  Along with bees placed at the bottom of the urinal, we also have a company that still makes decals that look like flies and other insects.

Along with providing the user with a target practice, they are designed to improve cleanliness and reduce cleaning costs.  They also help reduce splashback. That’s when urine splashes back on clothing, hands, and shoes, a challenge that is more common than men realize.

Easy-Peasy

Finally, Larry David of Curb Your Enthusiasm has come up with his own urinal.  Still a concept, David calls it Pee Cube.  He says the thought behind the Pee Cube was to make using a urinal more hygienic and to ensure that urinating in a public restroom is "easy-peasy."

Here's how Pee Cube works:

·      The user enters a "structure," as David calls it. This is made up of partitions on either side of the urinal, enclosing it, and providing privacy.

·      As the user enters the structure, he steps onto two large foot pedals on the floor.

·      Stepping onto the foot pedals signals a trap door to lift, revealing the Pee Cube urinal.

·      But that's not all. Sensors move the urinal up or down - based on the crotch height of the user.

·      When the user steps off the pedals, the trap door closes, the urinal automatically flushes, and once again, disappears from view.4

That's the gist of it. The Pee Cube may be more practical than the other types of urinals just discussed, but all share the same thing in common, at least initially: They get you thinking about something else for a few minutes other than the pandemic and hopefully put a smile on your face.

We can use that right now.

Will Water Become a Luxury in the US?

Adding to the many other challenges this country faces right now – the pandemic, a struggling economy, public unrest, and general confusion – we need to add something more: water bills. 

The problem is that water bills in the U.S. are on the rise, just as many people find themselves out of work. In fact, in 12 diverse cities, combined costs of water and sewage have increased by an average of 80 percent between 2010 and 2018. 

According to a study by the Guardian newspaper, the result is that two-thirds of residents in some U.S. cities can no longer afford their water bills. To come to this conclusion, the Guardian determined that if a water bill exceeds four percent of a household's total income, it is considered unaffordable.

The reason the water bills are going up is not news. Communities have been grappling with water infrastructure problems for years.  Further, many are being forced to add water structure to address growing populations, deal with climate change issues, and grapple with fuel hikes.

As to the twelve cities where water is now unaffordable for a significant percentage of residents they are the following:

1. New Orleans

2. Cleveland

3. Santa Fe

4. San Diego

5. Austin

6. Philadelphia

7. Seattle

8. Tucson

9. San Jose

10. Indianapolis

11. Fresno

12. Charlotte, North Carolina

"More people are in trouble, and the poorest of the poor are in big trouble," said Roger Colton, a leading utility analyst. He was commissioned by the Guardian to analyze water poverty. "The data shows that we've got an affordability problem in an overwhelming number of cities nationwide that didn't exist a decade ago, or even two or three years ago in some cities."  

You might wonder if the Federal government is stepping up to the plate to address this situation. The answer is no. Again, as reported in the newspaper, "federal aid to public water utilities… has plummeted while maintenance, environmental and health threats, climate shocks, and other expenditures have skyrocketed."

According to some observers, what is happening is that water is becoming a "luxury" in parts of this country. For instance, in Austin, TX, if water bills continue to go up, it is believed that 80 percent of low-income residents will face unaffordable bills by 2030.

You might also be wondering if water bills are no longer affordable for some households, will their water be turned off? The answer is: it's already happening. In Philadelphia, some people have been without water service for years. 

Residents use plastic bags for the toilet and bottled water to wash their hands, reports the newspaper. 

So, what can we do?

It is an exceedingly difficult situation and will require all branches of government – Federal, state, and local – to come up with workable solutions. 

Plus, private industry should be called in to see where savings can be found now and long-term.  

For the rest of us, the way we can help is to reduce water consumption and use water more efficiently. We see this happen every day as more and more facilities install water using devices, including restroom fixtures such as waterless urinals, that reduce consumption dramatically. This will put less pressure on water utility companies, giving them more time - and some much need breathing room  - to build up water infrastructure.   

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

Waterless Co "Baja" Urinal Ranked Best No-Water Urinal of 2020

July 30, 2020 – Vista, CA - According to Nestlord, a product review service affiliated with Amazon.com, the best no-water urinal for 2020 is the "Baja" from Waterless Co. Inc.

The review states that among the reasons the Baja was selected was because the cartridges used with the Baja only need to be "replaced two to four times in a year" and only cost $10.

This is far less expensive than the cartridges used, for instance, in other water-free urinals.  Plus, cartridges used in competing no-water urinals often need to be changed six or more times per year.

Atlanta Falcons Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Among the other benefits pointed out in the review are the following:

·       The Baja is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant

·       The Baja comes with two EcoTrap cartridges, considered the best in the industry.

·       BlueSeal liquid is used in these cartridges, which prevents odors from being released.

·       The Baja is also "easy to install and connects directly with two-inch standard drain lines," allowing it to be installed in almost all facilities.

"Of course, we are very proud of the Baja," says Klaus Reichardt, CEO, and Founder of Waterless Co.

"It has been our bestselling no-water urinal for years.  We are also grateful it was honored as 'The Best Waterless Urinal of 2020.'"

About Waterless

Waterless Co. Inc. has established a well-respected reputation as being an innovative manufacturer of no-water urinal systems.  Based in Vista, Ca, the company was started in 1991 and is the oldest manufacturer of waterless urinals in North America.  The company’ manufacturers a full line of Waterless No-Flush urinals, cleaning liquids, and cost saving restroom accessories. For more info, email us at info@waterless.com or visit: www.waterless.com 

The Splashback, Urinal, and COVID Connection

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that coronavirus can spread in an infected person's urine.

Referred to as "viral shedding," this means if traces of contaminated urine become aerosolized and inhaled, the disease can infect others in the restroom.

The setting in which this is most likely to happen is around urinals.

"The reason it is such a problem around urinals is due to the flushing of a traditional urinal and 'splashback,'" says Klaus Reichardt, CEO, and Founder of Waterless Co., Inc. 

To help prevent this and protect health, Reichardt suggests building managers do the following:  

·       Increase urinal cleaning frequencies, "and make sure all surfaces surrounding the urinals are cleaned and disinfected."

·       Block off every two urinals so there is more distance between urinal users

·       If possible, reduce water flow rates; this will help reduce the pressure of the flush

·       Have posters made encouraging men to urinate at a 90-degree angle. "Urinating in the water (at the base of the urinal) causes the most splatter and aerosolization."

·       Gentleman might consider sitting instead of standing; the stream is five times faster when standing at a urinal than when sitting in a toilet.

·       Install waterless urinals; because there is no flush of water, aerosolization is substantially eliminated.

·       Use a paper towel to touch the flush handle

·       To foster social distancing, place distancing markers on the floor behind the urinals.

·       Place mats under urinals to absorb splatter and change them frequently

"In the past, the big problem with splashback is that if the pee puddles, for instance on floors, it breeds bacteria and is one of the reasons public restrooms can smell," adds Reichardt. 

"But now, that bacteria may include the pathogens that cause COVID. This makes splashback a much more serious problem that must be addressed."

Restroom Vandalism in China, El Paso, and Atlanta. It's More Similar Than You May Think

Usually, when we hear about China, it's related to the coronavirus or trade issues. What we don't hear that much about is this: restroom vandalism.

But apparently, according to Kate Navarra, a freelance writer writing in Park & Recreations Magazine, Chinese vandals are famous for routinely targeting concession stands, storage sheds, and public restrooms in just about all corners of the country. 

Photo by Jonathan Beckman on Unsplash

Sometimes the public restrooms, if they have showers, become the "individuals personal shower stall," which they manage to use long after the restroom has been closed for the day. Further, while there, they often "decorate" these restrooms and fixtures with their personal brand of graffiti.

In one Chinese public restroom, the problem was not so much graffiti or turning the public restroom into a personal restroom. It was theft. Thieves were removing so much toilet paper from the restroom, "officials installed facial recognition software in the restrooms" to help prevent it.

The way this worked was the toilet paper was installed on rolls inside the walls of the restroom.

When someone wants toilet paper, they must stare at a machine for three seconds. The system would then dispense two-feet of toilet paper.

But that's not all. Because the system was equipped with facial recognition technology, in most cases, it could recognize and identify the person asking for the toilet paper. For many people, this was considered "too much information" for the government to have.

Further, if the individual wanted or needed more toilet paper, "they must wait nine minutes before being doled out a second ration," according to Navarra.

But we cannot point the finger just at China. We have our own problems over here. 

For instance, El Paso, Texas, has more than 250 parks and 16 recreational centers all equipped with park restrooms. Theft and vandalism was an ongoing problem in all these sites, but especially in one in particular. 

To stop theft at this problem location, maintenance crews placed a quarter-inch metal plate over the entire restroom door, covering the door and its locking mechanism. Without the keys to the metal door, "you had to reach in a contorted fashion to unlock the door." 

Guess what? El Paso apparently has many contortionists. The door and the restroom were broken into regularly.

What surprisingly did help in the El Paso parks were solar powered motion triggers installed in the restrooms. If someone enters – meaning breaks in - after hours, the system plays a pre-recorded announcement that they are not to be in the restroom and are being photographed. And, sure enough, they were. 

Cameras in hidden areas of the restroom began flashing. Using a Bluetooth connection, the images were sent to the Park District and shared with the local police. "Since installation, we have not had one incident" in this location, says one of the park administrators.

However, these systems do not come cheap. They cost about $8,000 per unit.

Another problem some restrooms have in this country is that people move in, making them their residence. In the process, they take whatever they can. This has been a problem with Atlanta's MARTA system, the city's subway, which has several one-person restrooms. 

Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash

To address this, administrators have installed "smart" devices that can tell how long someone has been in the restroom.  These devices serve two purposes. 

·         First, if someone has entered the restroom and there is no movement after ten minutes, station attendants are instructed to see if everything is alright or if there is a health emergency. It has, and does happen.

·         In other cases, if there is no movement after ten minutes, it means someone has moved in for the night. Once again, the station attendant comes in, but this time to ask the person to move on.

However, since these "smart" devices have been installed in the subway restrooms, administrators report that vandalism and theft from the restrooms have dropped significantly.  It appears, whether in China or here in the U.S., it is new technology that is protecting our public restrooms.