September 19, 2001—The City of West Hollywood, Calif., recently became the first US city to widely install water-free urinals as part of a pilot program to conserve water and promote cost savings.
The urinals, manufactured by Falcon Waterfree Technologies, will save more than 40,000 gallons of water per urinal per year. They will also provide the City of West Hollywood savings in installation, maintenance, and operational costs, compared to traditional flush urinals. In addition, with the Metropolitan Water District’s Commercial, Industrial and Institutional Conservation Program, the city received a $60 rebate for each urinal installed.
Unlike traditional urinals that have a flush valve system, the water-free urinal works with a proprietary, recyclable cartridge that is installed at the base of the urinal. The cartridge contains a biodegradable liquid that is lighter than other liquids and seals the urine from the room atmosphere. The cartridge acts as a funnel, allowing urine to flow through the sealant liquid, preventing any odors from escaping. The biodegradable cartridge is changed after 7,000 to 9,000 uses and disposed of in a recycling container. The new urinals use the present drainage pipes, but do not have any water supply entry.
Other organizations that have begun to use water-free urinals from Falcon Waterfree Technologies include Ford, IBM, Boeing facilities, the University of California-Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Falcon Waterfree Technologies is headquartered in Los Angeles.
