Making Restrooms Greener, Healthier, and Saving Money At It

Even with all the rain in California, half of the country is currently experiencing some form of drought. This makes this a perfect time to think about ways to make restrooms greener water efficient. The main reason for this is with more people starting to go back to the workplace and back to school, a green restroom is typically a healthier restroom.

We want to do everything possible in a post-COVID era to ensure restrooms, no matter where they are located, are clean, safe, and healthy as people return to the swing of things.

With all of this said, how do we go about making a restroom greener and save money too? Among the steps are the following:

Use green-certified cleaning solutions. These cleaning solutions have been independently tested and verified to help reduce cleaning's impact on the user and the environment.  Plus, today’s green-certified cleaning solutions are very cost competitive.

Use disinfectants sparingly.  In April 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said they are concerned that we are overusing disinfectants. Further, not only is this unnecessary, but the possibility of someone also getting COVID by touching a surface is remote. The problem with disinfectants is that they can be harmful to the user.   Further, the CDC reports poisonings related to disinfectants have gone up since the pandemic began.

Install waterless urinals. When it comes to making restrooms greener, waterless urinals can serve us in two ways. There probably is no other building technology that can reduce water consumption as much as installing waterless urinals. Further, waterless urinals are healthier. By eliminating the "plume" of air released when a water-using urinal is flushed, this helps eliminate the chances of harmful pathogens being released into the air.

Sensor-Controlled Lighting.  There is no reason for lights in restrooms to be left on all day. Sensor-controlled lighting helps save energy. Taking this a step further, LED light bulbs should be installed. They use less energy, generate more light, and last far longer than traditional light bulbs.

High-Efficiency Toilets – with Lids. We have discussed the need for high-efficiency toilets several times in our posts. These typically use less than the 1.6 gallons per flush currently mandated by law. However, due to COVID, we should add a lid to these toilets. The lid helps prevent plumes from escaping, as we referenced earlier. This makes for a healthier restroom.

TMV. Thermostatic mixing valves are not as standard in North America as in other parts of the world. These valves mix the hot and cold water feeds to a pre-set temperature. This way, when the faucet is turned on, the water is automatically at the correct temperature. We often waste water if we must wait for it to get warm or, just the opposite, get cold. TMV systems can help eliminate this problem. Further, they help prevent releasing water that is too hot and scolding.

Enhanced Ventilation. Restrooms are not always well ventilated. Today, not only do we need well-ventilated restrooms, but air systems should have enhanced air filtration systems, such as HEPA filters, if possible. These do not work with all HVAC systems. Another option is using UV-C systems that electronically clean air as it is being released into the restroom.  These systems "zap" the air, killing pathogens in the process.

Taking these and many other steps will help keep restrooms cleaner, safer, and healthier. They should also help building owners cut operating costs and, if no-water urinals are installed, reduce water consumption dramatically. In other words, they have benefits all around.

The Predictions about Remote Working are Just Not Holding Water

Like so many businesses around the world, ours has been impacted by the global pandemic. Most of our waterless urinal installations are in facilities that are being renovated. Typically, when buildings are being renovated, owners and managers are focused on ways to reduce operating costs and make their properties more water efficient. 

Waterless urinals help accomplish both.

However, last year, several major U.S. employers announced they do not plan to ask their employees to return to the office. They can work remotely, they decided. They came to this decision because remote working has panned out better than anyone anticipated.

However, that might not be the case long-term.

For example, at the first of the year, Salesforce made headlines by saying it will allow all its staff to work remotely beginning in 2021. However, since then, the company has found out that 80 percent of its team want to return to the office—at least part-time—as soon as they can. Most suggested they would like to be in the office at least three days per week.

Let’s see what else is happening when it comes to the issue of remote working versus returning to the workplace:

·        In New York City, as of April 2021, only about 10 percent of the workforce is working in the city’s many high-rises.  However, it is expected that about half of them will be returning to work full or part-time by September.

·        Microsoft has been very flexible about allowing its staff to work remotely. However, the company announced at the end of March 2021 that it plans to ask workers to come back to work at its headquarters in Seattle.     

·        A year into remote working, many staffers say they appreciate the flex time it offers, the fact that they no longer have stressful commutes, the autonomy, and they say they are more productive. 

However, and quite interestingly, other employees report they prefer the set work schedules they once had; they miss being with their coworkers and people in general; and their work productivity has declined after months of remote working.  Some even miss the commute.  Further, most of them report a “blur” developing between work time and free time that they do not like.

·        By the second quarter of 2020, a survey of U.S. CEOs found nearly 70 percent planned to cut back on office real estate in coming years. A more recent study found that number had dwindled to just 17 percent.

·        Many employers are becoming concerned remote working will hamper their goal of creating a company “culture.” For many companies, their brand and their company culture are interconnected. If the culture goes, the brand might be next.

What’s more, many firms report that training programs are far more complicated—and less effective—when done remotely than when staff is in an office setting. This is likely because a great deal of the learning in training is done by employees interacting with each other.

We cannot deny that there are many benefits to remote working, and virtually all business leaders believe it will be part of our work culture going forward. However, people will be returning to the workplace. Students are already returning to schools.

What many will find as they return to the workplace is that waterless urinals have been installed.  The reason: less splatter. Because the virus has been found in urine, with less splatter, there is less chance that it will become airborne, potentially passing on the disease.

What we suspect will happen, and this is based on several different surveys and projections, is that while some form of remote working is here to stay, more people will be returning to their old work style than expected today. And the big driving force: they want to.

WATERLESS is the go-to company when it comes to reducing water consumption, understanding the many benefits of waterless urinals, and finding ways to use water more efficiently.  For more information, contact a Waterless Co Specialist. 

Creating the Most Sustainability-Focused Airport in Europe

Belgrade, Serbia, is in southeastern Europe, where the Sava and Danube rivers meet. First settled in the 520s, it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe with a population today of nearly two million people.

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

It is also on its way to having one of the most sustainability-focused airports in all of Europe, if not the world. The Belgrade airport, officially known as Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, began an ambitious sustainability program in 2020, which is expected to be completed by 2030.

Among the key parts of the program are the following:

• Reduce water consumption per passenger by 50 percent. In airports, metrics such as consumption of energy, water, even the amount of waste generated by the airport, are often measured on a “per passenger” basis.

• Protect natural environments surrounding the airport and eliminate the use of pesticides in the airport.

• Have a zero-waste program in place; this means most of the airport's waste will either be recycled or reused for the same or another purpose.

• Reduce its carbon footprint by 50 percent by 2030 and to net-zero by 2050.

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

In case you did not notice, one of their first goals is to reduce water consumption. Serbia depends on nearby countries for a great deal of its "potable" water (i.e., water that is fit for human consumption). But with a growing population and climate change, the decision was made to find ways to become more self-reliant. When it comes to water, this means using resources far more efficiently.

So, how are they accomplishing this? Here is what the airport is doing:

Collecting data. The first step in any sustainability program is to know how much water is being used at baseline. Instead of just one, seven water meters have been installed in strategic locations throughout the airport. This gives administrators a much better idea of how much water is being consumed and where.

Collecting use data. Airport administrators realized that they needed more information not only on how much water is being consumed in the airport, but also where and how. How much is used for cleaning? For foodservice? How about water used for washing airplanes? 

Their new data collection system will help them answer these questions.

Water treatment. All the airport's water is now being treated so that it can be reused. They even installed the treatment facilities on the airport's property. The recycled water will be used to supply toilets, cooling towers, and the airport's heating plant.

Aerating nozzles. Most of us are surprised when we hear a typical sink faucet releases more than two gallons of water per minute. Airport administrators, aware of this, are installing aerating nozzles in all airport faucets. This will reduce the amount of water wasted by faucets by an estimated 70 percent, possibly more.

Water-using and waterless urinals. Some water-using urinals in older sections of the airport will remain, but they will be placed on a "timed flush" system. This means their flushing mechanisms have been removed. Flushing will be automatically and centrally activated throughout the day. However, in all the new and renovated areas of the airport, waterless urinals are being installed. Waterless urinals can reduce consumption by more than 35,000 gallons of water per year per urinal.

Firefighter's water. It appears the people at Belgrade airport have thought of everything when it comes to water. Typically, when the Belgrade firefighters make their daily test of the airport's fire and emergency equipment, they must release large amounts of water. In the past, this water would drain into the city's sewers. No more. Now that water is recovered so it can be used repeatedly in the emergency equipment or for other airport needs.

Even though the transition to using water more efficiently has just begun, the airport personnel already believe they have or will reduce water consumption by as much as 30 percent in 2023. It’s an ambitious program, yes, and it appears to be working.

WATERLESS is the go-to company when it comes to reducing water consumption, understanding the many benefits of waterless urinals, and finding ways to use water more efficiently.  For more information, contact a Waterless Co Specialist. 

Droughts, Private Wells, and Arsenic

About half the states in the continental U.S. are in varying degrees of drought, some more serious than others.  Typically, the main cause of concern when drought conditions develop is how long it will last, how bad it may get, and if water restrictions will be put into place to address the situation.

However, now there is something else we need to be concerned about. A recent study from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) shows that drought conditions can increase the risk of unsafe arsenic levels in private drinking wells.

Private drinking wells are typically found on farms, ranches, and rural areas of the county.  However, people in large metropolitan areas may also have their own wells.  This can apply to both consumers and commercial facilities, including schools and offices.  In these situations, private wells are used for water needs instead of accessing city services.

Here's how it’s happening.

Arsenic can occur naturally in bedrock.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), arsenic dissolves out of certain rock formations when groundwater levels drop significantly.  This is precisely what happens during drought conditions. Groundwater is regenerated when rainfall is plentiful but drops during droughts when there is a lack of rainfall.

Another way arsenic finds its way into private wells is through pollution. Some industries in the U.S. release large amounts of arsenic into the atmosphere.  With rain and snow, that arsenic falls back to earth, gradually settling into the bedrock where it slowly enters underground water supplies.

Among other health problems, exposure and consumption of varying degrees of arsenic can increase the risk of cancer.

This was uncovered in New Hampshire, which has higher than usual rates of bladder cancer.  Nearly half the state's residents use private wells, higher than any other state in the country.

The USGS is increasingly concerned about this situation because, according to a recent study, at any given time, nearly three million Americans are using private wells that, "are likely to have arsenic levels that exceed the federal limits of 10 parts per billion," says Melissa Lombard with the USGS.  Further, she suggests that this situation will worsen the longer areas of the country are experiencing drought conditions.

As of March 2021, states with the greatest increase in private well arsenic amounts are Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. Following these three states are those with much larger populations, including Texas, California, and Florida.  This means that if arsenic develops in private wells in these more populous states, far more people could be at risk of developing health problems.

So, what should people living in these drought areas who get their water from private wells do about this situation?  Well, let's start with what they should not do.

According to the CDC, heating or boiling water will not remove arsenic. In fact, the process could increase arsenic levels.  Additionally, adding chlorine bleach will not remove the arsenic.

Lombard suggests that public health officials increase private well testing, especially in those areas now experiencing droughts. If arsenic levels are too high, steps can be taken to remove the arsenic, although they can be costly.

She also recommends reducing water consumption.  Taking measures to keep the water levels higher in wells decreases the chances of arsenic developing.  This means reducing water consumption, primarily by using water more efficiently, is one of the best things we can do right now.

WATERLESS is the go-to company when it comes to reducing water consumption, understanding the many benefits of waterless urinals, and finding ways to use water more efficiently.  For more information, contact a Waterless Co Specialist. 

What is a drought?

Droughts happen all over the world. And what is happening today, mainly due to climate change, is that parts of the world that rarely experienced water shortages are now having them.

Because of this, and because droughts may be a new experience for some people worldwide, the following questions and answers should resolve many of the questions you may have about droughts.

What is a drought?

Interestingly, there is not a precise definition. Two different areas of the world may be enduring similarly dry conditions. But because one usually does not get much water, their dry conditions will be viewed as normal, whereas the same conditions in another part of the world would be called a drought.

A workable definition of drought is the following:

A prolonged shortage in the water supply, caused by lack of rainfall or due to underground water supplies running dry. A “prolonged shortage” typically means a period of at least three or four months. Droughts can and often do last for years.

Where do droughts most often occur in the world?

Certain areas of the world do have droughts more frequently than others, mainly due to lack of rainfall.

These are Ethiopia, Sudan, Afghanistan, parts of China, and Pakistan. By the way, those areas of the world that receive the most rainfall are parts of Australia, China, Colombia, Africa, and a large portion of Hawaii.

Where are the world’s droughts right now? (Q1 2020)

Our neighbor to the north, Canada, is experiencing some drought conditions in different pockets around the country. Currently, there are very few drought areas in the U.S., but check back in a couple of months. That is likely to change. The part of the world that is now experiencing the most significant number of drought conditions is central Africa.

Is there one country in the world experiencing unusually severe drought conditions? (Q1 2021)

Invariably, there are one or more areas of the world in more dire straits than others. Currently, the southern part of Madagascar is not only suffering severe drought but also what is called “drought-driven hunger.” Madagascar is an island country in the Indian ocean. After three years of drought conditions, food production and agriculture have come to a standstill, leaving about 1.5 million people with little food.

What are the stages of drought?

Typically, if an area of the world is experiencing arid conditions, a drought “warning” or “watch” is called. If conditions worsen, the next stage is called a drought “emergency.” A drought “disaster” or “critical” drought conditions may be called from here. It is at these last stages that mandatory water rationing programs are usually implemented.

What are the main problems caused by drought?

Initially, when a drought begins, it is viewed as an inconvenience. People are asked not to irrigate vegetation as often. Food-service outlets may only provide water if requested, and we may be asked to take shorter showers.

From here, things can deteriorate very quickly.  Some of the more severe problems caused by drought include the following:

•      Crop failure or significant yield reductions.

•      Unemployment because so many jobs are tied to agriculture and food distribution.

•      Landscape degradation.

•      Waterways go dry, resulting in the death of marine life.

•      Lack of water for hydroelectric plants; the result is utilities must purchase costly oil and gas, leading to rising utility costs and adding to greenhouse gasses.

•      Wildfires.

•      Insect infestation.

•      Loss of livestock and free-running animals.

•      Hunger, especially in poorer countries.

•      Increased poverty, again in poorer countries, and increased tensions between rich and developing countries.

•      Social unrest.

Droughts are going to happen; we know that. So, the only option we have is to use water much more responsibly and efficiently. Fortunately, we have many more options available to us to accomplish this. But view this as a journey. We must always be seeking new ways to reduce water consumption.

Where the Water Goes

A few years back, the City of San Jose's Environmental Services Department conducted a study to determine where water is most frequently used in public and private buildings in the city. This covered usage in office skyscrapers as well as schools, small office buildings, medical centers including hospitals, retail outlets, and more. 

Studies like this have been conducted in other municipalities, but they all tend to be slightly different. One of the key reasons for this is climate. 

For instance, San Jose has a relatively mild climate. While it does get cold and it does get hot, compared to other parts of the country, the cool temperatures and the hot temperatures are relatively mild.

But this does impact how much water is used in facilities. In San Jose, specifically because of the mild climate:

· A larger amount of water goes for cooling facilities year-round than it does in other parts of the country.

· Because many facilities in San Jose are landscaped, with vegetation growing year-round, San Jose facilities use more water for landscaping than comparable facilities in a cold winter climate.

However, even when these climate issues are factored in, the study found that San Jose buildings consume water in many of the same ways as other comparable buildings around the country.  

Here is what they also uncovered:

• In most office buildings in San Jose, and around the country, most of the water consumed in the facility, approximately 40 percent, is used in restrooms.

• About a third is used for cooling.

• Twenty percent for landscaping, and the rest was listed as "other."

• In hospitals, 40 percent of the water is used in patient bathrooms and public restrooms, 13 percent for cooling and heating, and the rest is evenly divided for laundry use, landscaping, kitchen, and medical uses. (Note: Water used for cleaning was not factored into the water-consumption in the study.)

• In hotels and motels, 30 percent of water is used in guest rooms and public restrooms, once again the most significant area of water consumption. Kitchens, laundries, and landscaping follow. Interestingly, cooling and heating came in at about 15 percent each. This percentage was expected to be higher.

So, what does this tell us?

Very simply, if a facility is looking for ways to reduce water consumption, the first place to look – and what may be the only place they need to look – is in the restrooms. With that said, by now most of us know the two big steps that need to be taken:

1.   Install aerators. Very inexpensive, yet amazingly effective at reducing water consumption.

2.   Fix leaks.

Leaks are one of the number one ways water is wasted in virtually all facilities. But here are two more ways you may not be aware of that have the potential to reduce water consumption significantly:

Create a Restroom Fixture Replacement Program. Instead of taking a reactive stance, and replacing restroom fixtures when they wear out, take a proactive stance, and replace them before they wear out. This saves water, is a cost-savings, especially now, because many communities offer tax rebates to upgrade restroom fixtures,  and prevents emergency water situations.

Select fixtures based on water consumption. Let's face it. Most restroom fixtures look pretty much the same. Further, most are made well.  However, unless décor is a paramount issue, the deciding factor when selecting restroom fixtures should be how much water the fixture consumes. 

Taking this a step further, no-water fixtures, such as waterless urinals, should always be considered because they are the ultimate water savers. In fact, many building owners and manager find the most significant step they can take in reducing water consumption is accomplished by simply installing waterless urinals.

Fix a Leak Week Begins March 15

Calling all Sleuths: Fix a Leak Week Begins March 15

The average household wastes nearly 10,000 gallons of water annually,
enough water for 300 loads of laundry.

Did you know more than one trillion gallons of water are wasted every year in the U.S. due to water leaks?

Further, the average household wastes nearly 10,000 gallons of water annually, enough water for 300 loads of laundry.

And there's more. Leaks increase our water bills by at least ten percent each month.

That's why we all should welcome Fix a Leak Week, launched by the EPA, which begins March 15 and runs through March 21. 

When it comes to saving water, we need every Sherlock Holmes available to find water leaks and put an end to them.

According to Klaus Reichardt, CEO, and Founder of Waterless Co., Inc., here are some leaky places often overlooked:

Under the sink pipes.  Feel the pipes under sinks. If they feel damp or wet, it means there is a leak somewhere along the line.

Pooling water heaters.  Small pools of water under water heaters means a leak is developing.  Look for signs of rust. That's likely where the leak is occurring.

Diversions in the diverter. Bathtub/shower combinations have diverters that divert water to the shower when pulled. Diverters can wear out, leaking water behind the bathtub wall. Here's a quick test. Pull the diverter. If water is still coming out of the tub's spout, there likely is a leak.

Home urinal leaks.  Because home urinals are becoming more popular, this is a new place to look for leaks. Urinal leaks are often caused by the flush handle wearing out. "Urinal leaks are particularly irksome to fix and [can] waste a lot of water. This is not a problem, however, with waterless urinals."

On and Off. When the toilet fill valve keeps cycling on and off, it usually means there's a leak. Feel under the tank or exposed pipes.  If damp, you found the problem.

"Finally, know when to replace fixtures," adds Reichardt. "They last for years, but they do not last forever. The older they are, the more likely they leak and wastewater."

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 Nudge, the Nobel Prize, and the Urinal Fly

When it was announced that Richard Thaler, a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, it stirred a few feathers. First, he was not very well known in the world of economics.

Further, what little was known about him, outside of being a professor at Booth, was a column he wrote in the 1980s in a respected economic journal. He titled his column “Anomalies.”

In his column, Thaler brought in a bit of psychology and the human element into economics, which did not always sit well with many traditional economists. Those economists focused on numbers, black and white, and little else. For instance, the following story is one that raised some eyebrows:

On New Year’s Day, Thaler won $300 by betting on the Orange Bowl winning team. When he got home, he asked his family how they wanted to spend the winnings. His idea was to get a case of champagne, invite some friends over, and celebrate. Or they could go to a fancy restaurant and then see a play.

However, then his son intervened.

“No, Dad, you’ve got to invest that money.” The son pulled out his calculator and determined that if he invested that $300 now, he would have $20 per year he would be able to spend in thirty years.

Obviously, the son was a serious economist in the making.

While some economists found this story humorous, others viewed it as a slap in the face. These economists had spent years calculating how people, organizations, and governments could earn big returns by saving and investing money.

As to the Nobel Prize, Thaler won it for his book, Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. It became a New York Times bestseller and focuses on the choices each of us must make each day. According to one review:

The book introduces the concept of choice architecture, arguing that people need structure to make decisions, and therein lies the opportunity to create structures that lead people to make better decisions.

However, for this “choice architecture” or “structure” to be successful, people often need a little nudging, and that’s where urinals come in.

Apparently, in the early 1990s, the cleaning manager at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport was frustrated by what he called “spillage” around the hundreds of urinals in the building. This spillage, primarily on to floors and also walls, increased his janitorial staff’s workload, caused malodors, and was unsightly.

To address the problem, the manager took it upon himself to etch small images of flies in some of the urinals. The etched flies would be right next to the urinal drains.

Voila, as they say in France. Walla, as the rest of us say.

The spillage was curtailed significantly in all the urinals with etched flies. Men were now nudged to aim right and not make a mess.

Well, Thaler calls the urinal flies “his favorite illustration of a nudge.”

He went on to say, nudges like this “don't attempt to make it impossible to do the wrong thing, but rather they make it easier to do the right thing. This same principle can be applied to any number of other choices, big and small, that people make in the course of their lives.”

Today, there are many types of urinal screens installed in urinals. While many are used as air fresheners, they often are designed to give gentlemen a bit of a nudge, something to aim for, so the urine goes in the right place and not the floor.

Urinal My Thoughts

Is NEWater On the American Horizon?

For decades, Singapore has known that its growth is tied to the amount of water it can provide its citizens and businesses. Historically, they have gotten their water from neighboring Malaysia. But because of friction between the two countries, Singapore has sought to break this dependence.

Due to this situation, in the 1970s, the country started reclaiming water for reuse and developed some of the world's first desalination plants.

These steps worked well for a while, but by the late 1990s, public officials realized additional measures were needed. If viable, what they decided to do was take raw sewage water, reclaim it, filter it, and treat it so it could be used for human consumption, industry, and the many ways we use water every day.

A study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of this process. Once leaders realized it was possible, they began to refer to this reclaimed water as NEWater. One of the initial steps they took did not have anything to do with water per say. Instead, it was all about "selling" NEWater to the public.

First, they had to convince people there was nothing wrong with "reclaimed" water. Many Singapore citizens did not realize the country had been reclaiming and treating this water for years.

Further, they stopped using the terms "wastewater and "sewage" water. These had negative connotations. Instead, they just called this NEWwater "used water." Over time, the term took hold, and NEWwater garnered public support.

How is NEWater produced?

For the most part, it is made through a three-step reclamation process:

1. Ultrafiltration filters are used to remove solids from the water. This process also removes most disease-causing bacteria, some viruses, salts, and other organic materials.

2. The second stage involves reverse osmosis. This step further filters out contaminants such as germs and bacteria along with metals, chlorides, sulfates, and pesticides. At this point, the water is potable and ready for human consumption. But just for safety, there is one more step.

3. Ultraviolet light (UV) is used to further disinfect the water and inactivate any remaining contaminants. UV has been used for decades to kill germ-causing pathogens.

Should we expect to see NEWater in the U.S.? 

Much of the potable water in our country is already made – in varying amounts – using methods similar to Singapore’s NEWwater.  A perfect example is a program in place in Orange County, California. Referred to as the Grown Water Replenishment System, this system is a virtual replica of the system now in place in Singapore. water is treated with microfiltration and reverse osmosis, followed.

However, in other parts of the country, not all the steps just described are in place. Instead, most of this water is just filtered and then treated with chemicals for purification to make it available for human consumption.

As more areas of the country experience water shortages, most likely we will have to take more steps to reuse water. This means NEWater may be right around the corner.

In fact, this may be an option that should be in place now in certain areas of the country.  While the topic does not get much media attention, parts of Appalachia and Indian reservations are having serious water shortages now. 

According to one woman who lives in a once-thriving West Virginia coal town, you never know if any water will come out when you turn on the tap.

In parts of the Navajo Nation, which occupies about 30,000 square miles in three western states, the situation is worse.  They know that no water will come out of the tap.

Public health depends on access to safe drinking water. These areas, and others, have extremely limited water supplies along with poor water infrastructure. Without ready-when-needed potable water, future economic growth in areas like these becomes unlikely.

Along with the installation of water reducing technologies, such as waterless urinals to reduce water consumption, Singapore’s success indicates that NEWater may be an economically feasible and reliable way to provide these and many more communities with the healthy water they need now and for the future.