SOME FAQs ABOUT NO-WATER URINALS

Droughts, escalating water and sewer rates, and LEED* certification standards have created a growing interest in no-water or waterless urinal systems.

 Although waterless urinal technology has been available in the U.S. for nearly two decades, the systems are still new to many building professionals. The following FAQ, developed by the city of Calgary (Canada) and Waterless Co. LLC., answers some of the most frequent questions about these systems.

 How do they work?

No-water urinals look just like conventional urinals but without flush valves or water connections. Instead, urine flows into a drain where a “trap” is located; the trap acts as a sealant to prevent sewer odors from escaping. Once it has passed through the trap, the urine drains into a pipe and is carried away.

How are they maintained?

Waterless urinals are cleaned in the same way as conventional urinals; however, harsh chemicals and substantial amounts of water are not needed.

Most systems’ traps need to be replaced two to four times per year, depending on usage. Traps can cost as little as $10.00 to more than $40 on some water free systems.

Do they smell?

Urinal odors are usually caused by bacteria or by water reacting with urine. There tends to be fewer bacteria growing on no-water urinals and water/urine reactions are obviously not an issue; therefore, waterless urinals actually tend to have fewer odor issues.

How much water is saved?

It is estimated that a single flush urinal uses 25,000 to 40,000 gallons of water per year. So, a no-water urinal saves 25,000 to 40,000 gallons of water per year

How do users react to these systems?

There are few issues. When waterless systems are installed, users are sometimes surprised by the lack of flush handles or sensory devices. This is why many manufacturers suggest posting a sign explaining that the urinal does not need to be flushed.

However, this is not as necessary today due to the fact that so many waterless urinals are now installed in buildings throughout North America.

Most studies report that both users and building owners/managers are happy with the performance of no-water urinals. Concerns about water conservation have helped to further the public’s acceptance of these fixtures.

 
* Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

Concerns Still High About Touching Restroom Fixtures

The 2023 Healthy Handwashing Survey from Bradley Corporation found that Americans are still concerned about germs in public restrooms, and many are taking steps to avoid contact with contaminated surfaces. The survey also found that Americans are increasingly in favor of touchless fixtures in public restrooms.

Here are some of the key findings from the survey:

• 62% of Americans use a paper towel as a barrier to avoid touching flushers, faucets, and doors. Women are more likely to do this than men (67% vs. 57%).

• 43% of Americans use their foot to flush toilets.

• 31% of Americans do not sit on toilet seats; they hover over the seat.

• 27% open and close doors with their backside to avoid germy contact. Women are significantly more likely than men to do this (35% vs. 19%).

• 82% of Americans believe having touchless fixtures in a public restroom is essential. This percentage has remained high in the survey since the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

• Half of Americans say they would feel safer from germs in public restrooms if they were equipped with touch-free technology.

• Having touchless restroom fixtures is among the topmost requests, along with keeping restrooms cleaner and better stocked and always providing paper towels, even if there are hand dryers.

• The survey also found that the restroom features considered most essential to be touchless are faucets, flushers, soap dispensers, and paper towel dispensers.

• The 2023 survey found that three in four Americans remain in an elevated state of germ consciousness triggered by the pandemic.

• Specifically, Americans are most concerned about germs in stores (48%), medical facilities (44%), gas stations (37%), restaurants (34%), and schools (25%).

Takeaway:

“When we first introduced waterless urinals, one of the benefits we promoted was that they did not require touching,” says Klaus Reichardt, CEO and founder of Waterless Co., Inc.

“It’s always been a concern among [public] restroom users, but today, after the pandemic, that concern has grown tremendously.”

Reichardt offers other tips for staying safe in public restrooms:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after using the restroom.

• Avoid touching any surfaces in the restroom that you don't need to touch.

• Use a paper towel to open and close doors, flush toilets, and turn on faucets.

• If there are no paper towels available, use your elbow or a clean cloth to touch these surfaces.

• If you don't have access to soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

• Be sure to dry your hands thoroughly before leaving the restroom.

The Water Rates Top Ten - Who Pays the Most and the Least for Water

Waterless® Co., Inc.

Celebrating our 32nd Year

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Press Release

 The Water Rates Top Ten

Who Pays the Most and the Least for Water

Vista, CA – June 7, 2023 - With all the rain that fell on California and other western states this past winter, many believe water rates, which have been going up steadily for decades, might hold steady.

 But according to Klaus Reichardt, “this is not the case. While many reservoirs were filled, the problem was that much of that rainwater washed into the ocean or was not captured for storage.”

 The result is that the pressure to raise water utilities, “may have lessened, but we can expect rates to continue to go up.”

That said, an average U.S. family currently pays about $876 annually for water, based on using one hundred gallons of water per person per day.

The state with the least expensive costs for water is Florida, where the average family spends an extraordinarily low charge of about six dollars per month, or about $72 per year.

This is followed by Wisconsin and Vermont, which average $18 per month, $216 annually.

Those are the lucky states. 

On an annual basis, the ten states where consumers pay the most for water are the following:

On an annual basis, the ten states where consumers pay the most for water are the following:  

1. West Virginia, $1,092 per month.

2. California, $924.

3. Oregon, $912.

4. Washington, $900.

5. New Jersey, $864.

6. Connecticut, $828.

7. Alaska, $816.

8. Hawaii, $768.

9. Arizona, $760.

10. Wyoming, $756. *

“We must remember that these charges are for consumers,” adds Reichardt. “A manufacturing facility may spend hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for water. As their charges [for water] go up, the more we must pay for the products they produce.”

Interestingly, one of the reasons Reichard expects water utility rates to jump in the future has nothing to do with water or the lack thereof.  

Instead, its infrastructure.

“States such as Florida manage to keep costs down by putting infrastructure improvements on the back burner,” says Reichardt. “But you can only kick the bucket down the road so far. Eventually, it reaches a dead end.”

 As to ways to beat the trend, and keep water rate increases in check, the answer, he says, is water efficiency. Water efficiency is all about reducing waste. 

“We waste huge amounts of water every year and this must end.”

 ###

*Sources: 

World Population Review.

Utility Smarts

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 nearly 31-year-old company is the oldest manufacturer of waterless urinals in North America.  The company offers a full line of Waterless No-Flush urinals, cleaning liquids, and cost saving accessories. Visit: www.waterless.com 

Waterless Co. Inc.

1050 Joshua Way
Vista, CA 92081 USA
800.244.6364

sales@waterless.com

Media Contact: Robert Kravitz

Phone: 312-880-8176

E-Mail: robert@alturasolutions.com

Restroom Fixtures to Save Water

As New Yorkers go back to work, there is one building many would like to work in. That building is the Bank of America’s East Coast headquarters. While not brand new, it continues to be a marvel of innovative, high-tech, and environmentally preferable features.

In fact, the $1 billion structure was one of the first in the United States to earn the top environmental rating from a coalition of building industry leaders and environmental organizations.

 Its many unique, Green features include:

 · Double-wall technology that dissipates the sun’s heat

· Ventilation systems that run under floors, allowing for more efficient heating and cooling, thus conserving energy

· Monitors that continuously check indoor air quality and ensure adequate fresh air 

· A system that collects and reuses rainwater and wastewater, which the designers believe will save as much as ten million gallons of water per year

· Waterless urinals in all the men’s restrooms

 Moreover, giant office buildings are not the only facilities looking for ways to be greener and more sustainable - especially when it comes to restroom fixtures.

Schools, universities, and healthcare centers throughout North America are incorporating a variety of new, innovative fixtures in their restrooms in a quest to be more efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly. The new systems include high-tech toilets which use very little water and waterless urinals, which use no water at all.

Curious Addition

Many facility managers are still curious as to how a waterless urinal works. Visually, a waterless urinal looks just like a traditional urinal but without the plumbing usually found at the top of the fixture. 

However, at the base of the urinal’s interior is a trap insert or cylinder filled with a thin layer of liquid or sealant. Urine passes through the cylinder and sealant, which forms a barrier to prevent odors from escaping. Urine flows under the barrier layer and down a conventional drainpipe. 

As to water savings, conventional urinals use as much as three gallons of potable water per flush. In even a small facility, urinals might be flushed 2,000 times per month. This means one urinal may use as much as 35,000 gallons of water annually, which must be disposed of by transporting it down drains and sewers where it is treated by costly-to-build and maintain local sewage treatment plants.

Maintenance Matters

Some managers and housekeeping departments also wonder if waterless urinals require special cleaning attention or if they become more soiled than a conventional urinal. 

Waterless urinals do not require any special cleaning chemicals and tend to be easier to maintain because most are made of smooth, liquid-repellant surfaces. And because no water is used, there are fewer water deposits or stains left on the urinal, which can require scrubbing to remove. Studies have found that germs and bacteria are less likely to develop on waterless urinals as well due to their dryness.

In the U.S., there are a few manufacturers of waterless urinals. Although each type works about the same, they use slightly different systems, requiring different maintenance requirements. 

Because of this, facility managers must analyze the several types of waterless urinals and decide which system works best for their facility. Some trap inserts, for example, are very inexpensive and long-lasting, while others are quite expensive and need to be changed often. This can eliminate the savings facility managers might have hoped to achieve by minimizing water use and installation costs.

Waterless urinals have finally found a foothold in the restroom fixture industry, especially in facilities that want to be greener and more sustainable. Waterless urinals are here to stay. They have proven themselves in facilities like the Bank of America building mentioned earlier and are helping promote water efficiency, something we desperately need today. 

Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc, Vista, Calif.  Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues.  He can be reached at klaus@waterless.com.

Waterless Co., Inc | Pioneers in Advancing Water Efficiency

Making Restrooms Greener, Healthier, and Saving Money At It

With half of the country currently experiencing some form of drought, either limited to severe, this is a perfect time to think about ways to make restrooms greener and more water-efficient. The main reason for this is that we can expect water charges to start going up whenever there are drought conditions.

Plus, with more people going 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.

 Waterless Co., Inc is a pioneer in water efficiency. We are 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. 

When it Comes to Peeing, Did You Know?

Almost one in four men in the US sit down to pee "every" or "most" of the time.

Germans have a slang term for men who sit down when peeing: Sitzpinklers.

Germany is encouraging men to sit down, even if it means going to court. Recently, a German property owner took his tenants to court for "splash back" damage to an apartment's marble floor.

Of thirteen countries included in the survey, Germany is where most men sit down to pee.

Forty percent of men in Germany said they always sat down; and 22 percent said "most times;" the rest said "sometimes" or "rarely;' 10 percent said they "never" sit.

In Germany, there are now signs in some public restrooms encouraging men to sit down to pee.

Sweden and Denmark followed Germany with the most significant percentage of men sitting. 

Canada came in fourth, where 16 percent said they always sat down, and 19 percent said, "most times." Twenty-one percent said they never sat down.

The US came halfway down the list of thirteen countries

Ten percent of U.S. men said they always sat down, and another 13 percent said they sat down "most of the time."

Thirty-one percent of US men said they never sat down to pee.

The country most likely to stand was Mexico. Thirty-six percent of men said they never sat to pee, and only 6 percent said they always sat.

Whether you pee standing or sitting can vary based on age. For instance, In Germany, almost 50% of men over fifty-five always sit down to pee. 

This trend was reversed in the US, where 35 percent of older men said they never sat down to pee, compared to 21 percent of younger guys.

Details of the standing/sitting study. 

Sample size: 7024 men aged 18+ in 13 countries

Dates conducted: February 2023 to April 2023

Published by: YouGov, a UK survey company.

More details: https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/0l6u6ha4yz/YouGov%20-%20Sit%20down%20urination%20men%20international.pdf

 We just thought you just might like to know…Waterless Co., Inc.

Our Private Lives in Public Restrooms

Does any of this sound familiar?

• You just walked into a public restroom, right behind someone else. Instead of going directly to an available toilet or urinal, you wash your hands or fix your hair until that person leaves.

• Two men walk into a public restroom. They work together and know each other well. While they converse freely in the office, all conversation ceases – there’s dead silence – as soon as they get into the restroom.

• You’re in a public restroom with several other people. You sit on a toilet or stand to use the urinal but can’t do anything. You wait until someone flushes a toilet, and then, for at least 30 seconds, you are comfortable doing your business.

If you can relate to any of these scenarios, you may have an anxiety disorder called paruresis, also known as pee shyness. It’s even classified by the American Psychiatric Association. The association considers it a type of performance anxiety that only happens in public restrooms. Further, it happens to nearly all of us at one time or another, in varying degrees.

 Oprah Winfrey shared her experience with paruresis in 2004. That year she served on a jury in Chicago. The trial was anticipated to last only a few days, and she thought it would be a valuable experience. However, an unexpected problem surfaced. The jury room had its own restroom. When it was used, those in the jury room could hear what their fellow juror was doing in the restroom.

Aware of this, when Oprah had to use the restroom, she had complete performance anxiety. She could not go to the bathroom. She asked the judge if she could use another restroom somewhere else in the building but was denied.

Finally, she came up with a solution. Before using the bathroom, she asked her fellow jurors to sing “Kumbaya,” and they were not to stop singing until she got back into the jury room. Soon other jurors requested the same. “Kumbaya” was sung in that jury room an estimated fifteen times a day during the five-day trial.

OK, so now we know paruresis is a real thing that happens to real people. But did you know there is an International Paruresis Association?

Sure is. It was started by a gentleman at the University of Memphis. He says about 20 million people in the United States suffer from paruresis to some degree. While some people may have extreme paruresis, making it impossible for them to use a public restroom if someone is in it, most other sufferers have it to a lesser degree – feeling occasionally uncomfortable to mildly uncomfortable.

So why do some of us have paruresis? There are a few possible reasons:

• Some experts say we have performance problems due to a complex psychological stew of shame and self-awareness. Often, we learn this at an early age.

• There are no social boundaries in public restrooms. For instance, most restrooms in the U.S. do not have stalls around urinals or stalls and dividers for toilets that go from floor to ceiling. In Europe, toilets are often totally enclosed, similar to a private room. That’s why more Americans have paruresis compared to Europeans.

• For women, the affliction often sets in because they are concerned about the cleanliness of public restrooms. No matter how clean it may be, they worry about germs.

• For men, the problem sets in because they are worried other men will break the cardinal rules of using a urinal: look straight ahead, don’t look at anyone else, don’t talk, and leave as soon as possible.

So, what can we do about this?

If someone has extreme paruresis, talk therapy is often recommended.

For mild to occasional paruresis, it is suggested, especially in the workplace or at school, that we accept the fact that we have this affliction. Sometimes recognizing it is the first step in eliminating it.

For the rest of us, we may have to just hold it until we find a restroom that provides the privacy we need when we need to go.

Waterless Co., Inc: Pioneers in Advancing Water Efficiency

Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc, Vista, Calif.  Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues.  He can be reached at klaus@waterless.com.

Eight Benefits of Waterless Urinals

Every so often, we like to review the many benefits of no-water or, as they are more commonly called, waterless urinals. We’re doing this because many areas of the world are experiencing prolonged drought conditions, which are now becoming permanent. Therefore, finding ways to reduce water consumption has become more imperative worldwide.

With that said, here are the Top Eight Benefits of installing waterless urinals:

1.    Water Savings

Might as well start with their key benefit: waterless urinals significantly reduce water consumption. It’s estimated in the U.S. that more than five billion gallons of water are used every day to flush urinals and toilets. Typically, in an office building, school, or similar commercial structure, about half the water used is that in toilets and urinals. Conventional urinals use one to five gallons of water per flush. No-water urinals use, well, no water.

 2.    Low Maintenance

You probably guessed it, but the flush mechanism on water-using urinals typically needs a lot of repairs. The flush valves, either from age, use, or tampering, invariably need fixing. This can prove costly because, in most cases, the entire mechanism must be replaced.

3.    No Clogging

Nope, we’re not talking about clogging dancers. Instead, we’re talking about drain lines clogging on traditional urinals. The clogging is the result of the mixture of water and urine, which forms encrustations in the pipe resulting in clogged pipes. Best keep the plumber’s number handy.

4.    More Hygienic

In general, urine does not contain harmful microorganisms. But that all can change when the urine is mixed with water. You see, the water in water-using urinals gives the germs the moist environment they need to grow. Worse, these germs can become airborne with flushing and splatter. This was a big concern during the pandemic and sure enough, COVID was found in the urine of those infected with the disease. This means the virus could spread from inhalation. Waterless urinals remain dry. There is no flushing. Germs, bacteria, and microorganisms cannot survive on a dry surface. Plus, there is less splatter with waterless urinals all of which makes them more hygienic.

5.    Odor Control

The first two things you notice when you use a waterless urinal are 1) there is no flush valve and 2) there’s a little gadget placed at the base of the urinal. That little gadget is essential. It’s called an EcoTrap®, and it’s designed to prevent sewer odors from entering the restroom. It needs to be filled with a liquid sealant called BlueSeal® to ensure it works properly. The EcoTrap and the BlueSeal keep the restroom smelling fresh and clean.

6.    Sustainability

Waterless urinals were promoting sustainability long before most organizations were even focused on sustainability. When you consider that one waterless urinal can save up to 35,000 gallons of water per year and that millions of waterless urinals have been installed worldwide, we see they have significantly contributed to conserving water, our most important resource.

7.    Energy Reduction

Ever wonder how water gets to your facility? Massive water utility pumps deliver it there. These pumps are invariably powered by electricity. If less water is pumped to your facility, it means your facility is helping to reduce energy consumption. The cost to pump and remove water is worked into your water utility bill. Less water used and less energy needed helps reduce your water bill.

8.    Retrofits

We can’t leave without discussing retrofits. In a post-COVID world, facility managers are remodeling restrooms to help them stay cleaner and more sanitary. What they are finding is that installing no-water urinals is a very cost-effective retrofit. They require less plumbing to install and no special pipes or connections. This makes installing waterless urinals easier, faster, and much less expensive.

Water’s Role in My Life

Growing up in Germany, there were occasional droughts, some of which were serious and long-lasting. Still, I do not remember these droughts negatively impacting my family, my school, or others in my community.

Of course, if we were asked to reduce water consumption during these droughts, we would do so. However these droughts did not interrupt our lifestyles, those of our neighbors, or businesses throughout the country.

It was not until I moved to California that I realized how water – or lack thereof – could impact people’s lives. Throughout history, California has experienced droughts.

One of the worst I experienced was in 1976-1977. While it only lasted one year, most everyone in the state was limited to five-minute showers, and even the amount of water used to brush your teeth was reduced to just a few drops.

The problem in California, when it comes to water and droughts, is that they are so frequent – and they are getting more frequent today with changes in the climate. In addition to this, they last longer.

For instance, since my first experience with a California drought that lasted just one year, there have been three more of importance:

•       The 1986 drought lasted five years.

•       The 2006 drought went on for four years.

•       The 2011 drought continued for six years.

And today, the state’s current drought, which officially began in October 2019, may be the worst drought the state has ever experienced.

With this drought, people all over California are beginning to realize our climate is changing and it is negatively impacting water. We are moving from frequent droughts, which lasted one to a few years, to permanent drought conditions, now referred to as aridification.

As for me and in regards to water, I guess I was ahead of the game. I realized years ago that these frequent and more prolonged droughts in California were ominous signs for the future. The state’s population and businesses were growing tremendously, but the amount of potable water available was decreasing.

I assumed then, and I believe now, we have reached a tipping point. We must find ways in California, around the country, and around the world to reduce consumption, and that is how I got involved with waterless urinals.

Years ago, one traditional urinal could use as much as 50,000 gallons of water per year. Not only was that not sustainable, but it was simply wasteful.

This triggered my interest in waterless urinals then and has increased my interest in waterless urinals and water efficiency ever since.

In the past few years, our company has gone from not only marketing waterless urinals but to working on convincing people throughout North America and internationally that we must use water more efficiently!

Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc, pioneers in advancing water efficiency. Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues. He can be reached at klaus@waterless.com

The Forgotten Part of Restroom Care – Drains

This article was first published in CMM

When it comes to restroom care protocols, the focus is invariably on the cleanliness and appearance of restroom fixtures, floors, walls, counters, and mirrors. However, cleaning professionals should know there is one especially critical area that is often overlooked in the cleaning process—drains, specifically floor drains.

Escaped sewer odors

Problems with drains date back to the introduction of commercial and residential plumbing. An article published in the June 1877 issue of London’s Journal of the Society of Art discusses how in 1852, “an alarming outbreak of fever took place in Croydon (a section of London) on the introduction of a [sewage] system…the chief cause of the outbreak was the escape of infected air from the sewers into house(s) and the inhalation by persons susceptible to the disease.” The article goes on to say, “the house drains and soil pipes are uninterrupted.”

Uninterrupted meant there were no U-traps installed, or, if there were, they had dried up. Working properly, U-traps would have prevented the escape of sewer odors, likely preventing the fever. 

Fumes from the vents

Let’s jump ahead to modern day to examine another incident that shows us why proper drain care is essential. In December 2016, a gastrointestinal outbreak was reported among 154 diners attending a Christmas buffet in Finland. Researchers tested food, water, ice, and air ventilation systems in the restaurant, looking for indicators of the outbreak’s cause. They found that three ice cube machines had high levels of bacteria. The investigators concluded a faulty air ventilation valve where the ice cube machines were located was a likely cause of this outbreak and that leaking air ventilation valves may represent a neglected transmission route in viral gastrointestinal outbreaks.

But there’s more. The air ventilation systems were releasing fumes because the U-traps where the ice machines were located were not working properly. The researchers said that this release of fumes was “similar to what caused the outbreak of SARS,” which we will discuss next. They stated:

“We have noticed that drains have been largely neglected in routine inspections and that leaking U-traps (those that are not working correctly) are a common feature in so-called high hygiene areas of food processing facilities.”

In other words, proper drain care is necessary to protect human health, not only in restrooms but also in commercial kitchens and food processing areas.

Drainpipe sewage

Now let’s review the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Hong Kong to help us understand just how vital drain maintenance is to the health of building occupants.

SARS was first detected in Hong Kong in March 2003. Within a brief period, medical authorities identified 1,750 cases, and 286 people died of the respiratory disease. From March onward, authorities in other countries also identified cases of SARS, including at least two cases in Canada.

After the cases subsided, health inspectors set out to find out what caused the outbreak. While the inspectors initially thought people caught SARS by touching contaminated surfaces, the real culprit turned out to be drains, and more specifically, floor drains.

The researchers collected effluent in the drainpipes—referred to as soil stacks—from all floors of a Hong Kong apartment building. They inspected U-shaped traps in all the bathroom floor drains, installed to prevent odors and insects from escaping from the drains.

One key investigation published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine in August 2003 reported:

“The U-traps (in the bathrooms) must contain water (to operate correctly). Because most households were in the habit of cleaning the bathroom floor by mopping rather than flushing with water, the U-traps connected to most floor drains were dry and not functioning properly.”

Researchers found the SARS pathogen in the drain sewage. They determined the dry U-traps allowed fumes from the sewage to be released into the bathrooms through the floor drains. Apartment residents in certain sections of the complex contracted SARS when they inhaled the fumes.

Proper care for floor drains

Now that we are aware of why proper drain care is so important, we need to discuss how to accomplish it. But before we do, let’s discuss what not to do:

·        Do not ignore restroom odors. When odors develop in a restroom, facility managers and cleaning professionals often decide the best solutions are to ventilate the room and perhaps add air purifying systems. While ventilation helps and air purifiers may cover the odors, the problem of sewer odors coming from floor drains remains. Gases entering the restroom, such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen, can be harmful if inhaled in large quantities.

·        Do not pour bleach down drains. Bleach is a powerful solution that can react with other chemicals and substances, including the gases mentioned above, releasing even more harmful fumes. While the bleach may kill bacteria, it can also damage pipes. Further, it is not an environmentally friendly option. 

With what not to do out of the way, here are some steps to eliminate drain odors:

·        Check plumbing vents. All residential and commercial facilities have plumbing vents. Known as a vent stack, these vents regulate air pressure, allow fresh air into the plumbing system, and release foul air. However, these vents can become clogged. When this happens, offensive and unhealthy odors are released into
restrooms. Your plumber can help address this.

·        Check under the floor. Leaks in the drainage pipe allow soiled moisture to build up under the facility, such as in a basement. The resulting bacterial growth releases odors into
the restroom.

·        Keep your U-trap wet. We discussed earlier what can happen when a U-trap is dry. Pouring water down all floor drains every two weeks can prevent this. However, in most cases, this is a temporary fix. The trap will likely become dry again very soon. A better option is to use EverPrime. Mixed with water, EverPrime maintains a liquid seal in the U-trap that can last for months.

·        Call a plumber. If the odor persists after you take the steps above, it is probably the result of something more serious such as a damaged pipe. Drainpipes can crack due to weather extremes, tree roots, building settling, corrosion, poor design, and age. A damaged drainpipe can become blocked, preventing the sewage from being carried away to the sewer line and causing fumes to release into restrooms. Hire a licensed plumber to repair a damaged pipe or vent.

Although drains are not the most visible indicator of a clean restroom, it’s impossible to have an effective restroom care program without proper drain care. When lacking proper attention, drains
can release foul odors that are not only unpleasant but that also pose serious health risks for building users. Don’t forget the drains.

 Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc, pioneers in advancing water efficiency.  Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues.  He can be reached at klaus@waterless.com

What is a U-Trap?

A U-trap, also called a U-pipe, is shaped like the letter u. It is found under the sink of virtually all drains. It is designed to hold water, which prevents odors from being released into a restroom.