Intelligence Report			RepWars
DOS Technical Services
Leading Manufacturers Falcon Waterfree Tech. LLC Waterless Co. LLC Duravit USA, Inc. Uridan-USA, Division of GDK International, Inc. Related Online Articles Comparison of the Two Major Manufacturers of Water Free Urinals FacilitiesNet Article U.S. Air Force Article (PDF) UCLA Study Cost Calculator Before specifying non-flushing urinals, a Plumbing Engineer should verify: § Approval by Local Code Authorities § The Quality of Maintenance and Cleaning Personnel § The Real Initial and Long-Term Cost Impacts Before specifying non-flushing urinals, a Plumbing Engineer should verify: § Approval by Local Code Authorities § The Quality of Maintenance and Cleaning Personnel § The Real Initial and Long-Term Cost Impacts	Should You Specify Water free Urinals? Specifying water free urinals may be appropriate for facilities that require numerous urinals and have quality maintenance and housekeeping personnel who will be provided with the appropriate training required to take advantage of this technology. However, the advantages diminish relative to the quantity of urinals and the quality of maintenance. Water free urinals are not as advantageous for facilities requiring a relatively small number of urinals, and are inappropriate for facilities that Sloan Valve Co. are not privileged with a well trained maintenance and housekeeping staff.
	Evaluate What You Hear and Read.
	The constant influx of new plumbing related materials and equipment require a Plumbing Engineer to expend an effort to evaluate how they should be properly applied. Thermoplastic piping, electronic sensor activated fixtures, solderless copper joints, etc., are relatively recent innovations that can provide excellent service when appropriately employed. However, as with any product, they should not be considered suitable for every installation. Strong opinions have been generated for and against the water free urinal. Politically, the fixture has become a pawn.	For example, In exchange for stock options and to uphold his sensitivity to conservation, Al Gore agreed to serve on the advisory board of Falcon Waterfree Technologies and promote its water free urinal. Conversely, advocates representing trade unions and competing technologies have raised sanitary and maintenance concerns. There is obviously bias on both sides, so it is important that Plumbing Engineers approach their decision based on engineering aspects and filter through the various information generated by lobbyist. or example, In exchange for stock options and to uphold his sensitivity to conservation, Al Gore agreed to serve on the advisory board of Falcon Water free Technologies and promote its waterless urinal. Conversely, advocates representing trade unions and competing technologies have raised sanitary and maintenance concerns. There is obviously bias on both sides, so it is important that Plumbing Engineers approach their decision based on engineering aspects and filter through the various information generated by lobbyist.
	Check Local Code Requirements.
	Although non-flushing urinals have been commercially available for more than a decade, they have not yet been approved by all code authorities. The majority of current installations are in facilities that are not under the jurisdiction of local code regulations (i.e., government buildings), or are in facilities that obtained a variance from local code officials. Some authorities that have approved their use, have done so with stipulations; such as requiring that signage be posted indicating fixture maintenance schedules, that the maintenance instructions for the fixture trap sealant be	submitted when applying for a building permit, and mandating that training be provided for the facility’s personel responsible for the proper use, operation and maintenance of the urinals. Hesitancy of approval by code officials suggests that there are sanitation concerns due to the fact that proper functioning of the water free urinal is more dependent upon human intervention than conventional flushing urinals.
RepWars Copyright © 1997 - 2005 DOS Technical Services All Rights Reserved Case studies have shown that water free urinals can provide increased sanitation compared to the conventional flushing urinal when proper maintenance and cleaning is employed. Hesitancy of approval by code officials suggests that there are sanitation concerns due to the fact that proper functioning of the water free urinal is more dependent upon human intervention than conventional flushing urinals.	Verify Your Client’s Maintenance Capabilities. Most success stories concerning water free urinals have originated from installations within facilities that have a quality maintenance staff and trained cleaning personnel, who have carefully followed the fixture manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations and routinely monitored the use of the fixtures in order to evaluate their performance. For a facility where these controls are not in place, it is imperative that a Plumbing Engineer educate the end user. Case studies have shown that water free urinals can provide increased sanitation compared to the conventional flushing urinal when proper maintenance and cleaning is employed. Avoiding problems with these fixtures requires that users, maintenance staff and cleaning personnel understand the fixture’s usage, maintenace and cleaning requirements. The Plumbing Engineer must communicate to their client that their role is crucial to insure that long term satisfaction is realized. If you specify water free urinals, consider recommending the following to your client: § A reliable procedure must be set in place to change trap sealant before its effectiveness is depleted. When waterless urinals fail, they tend to fail suddenly. It must be understood by the user that proper monitoring be provided. § Housekeeping personnel must be properly trained to know how the urinals can and cannot be cleaned. Inappropriate cleaning can reduce the effective life of the trap sealant. Alkaline cleaners and water can break down the chemicals, causing them to dissipate more quickly. If too much “hard” water is used during cleaning, calcium deposits and odor may form. Because there is typically a high turn over rate in cleaning staff, a program should be established to orientate new personnel.
	Will Water free Urinals Save My Client Money?
	Non-flushing urinals can save water. However, to evaluate cost savings, there are a number of factors to consider, such as local water and sewer rates, cost of replacing trap sealant, and the reduction in the amount and size of water supply piping. Some have pointed out that a savings can be realized in the decrease of house pump demand, however, unless a facility has a relatively large number of urinals, the savings will be negligible. Obviously, the cost of water varies depending upon location. In areas with low rates, the cost of trap sealant replacement can exceed the cost of the water which would be required for	conventional one-gallon flushing type fixtures. Conversely, where water rates are high, a significant savings can be realized. Savings due to reduction in piping is obviously relative to quantity of urinals. Where a small number of urinals are install on a common back-to-back chase wall with water closets, the savings will be insignificant. When replacing existing flushing type fixtures with water free urinals, it is important to note that there will be costs associated with removing or properly isolating the existing water supply piping within walls in order to prevent stagnate water from contaminating the remainder of the potable water system.
	Are Water Free Urinals Here To Stay? Yes. Installation of the water free urinal has been successful in many high-profile facilities such as, the Rose Bowl, Pro Player Stadium, Walt Disney World, the National Park Service, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Veterans Administration. Sloan Valve Company, one of the world's leading manufacturers of flush valves, has recently began distributing a line of water free urinals. This indicates that they believe non-flushing technology will have a significant roll in the future plumbing market. These facts, along with growing public support for water conservation, insure that these fixtures will be an option for many years to come.