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[BLOG] Want to Cut Down on Water Use? Install a Urinal!

Want to Cut Down on Water Use? Install a Urinal! | EcoRenovator.org

Quote:

http://ecorenovator.org/wp-content/u...ffiliate81.jpg

Today, the Kansas City Star talks about something that’s been on my mind for years. A few years ago I visited the home of a friend of mine, as I had done on many other occasions. However, this time, when I asked to use the bathroom we were in a different part of the house and, accordingly, I used a different rest room.

Much to my chagrin, in the rest room I found a toilet and a urinal. Now, I knew this family was not particularly concerned about the environment. In fact, even though I knew the urinal would use less water, I assumed its installation was a fashion statement on the part of the reasonably weathly home owners.

To be honest, I didn’t quite get it. Being a man, I guess I associate urinals with the bathrooms in grocery stores and Tokyo subways, and never expected to see one in a clean, private environment. Nevertheless, from that point forward, I decided that my own home would have a urinal.

Of course, I completely forgot about all that until I saw this newspaper article. On a basic level, urinals use about 1/3rd of the water used by most new flush toilets. That’s a pretty significant difference. However, when there exist other options such as rainwater capture and greywater reuse, which can both be used to flush toilets, is a urinal really the best option?

Not only do urinals cost alot in plumbing, design, and initials purchase, but it’s not practical to add one to every restroom. Sure, I can walk down the hall to take a shower, but do you want to go up and down stairs or to the other side of the house just to save a gallon of water?

As far as convention goes, urinals are definitely less threatening than rain water recycling, but perhaps less ecofriendly. What do you think?

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I coulda swore I already posted this. :confused:

I gotta say I like the $50 TwoFlush retrofit better than the urinal.

I don't know how I could've forgotten about two-flush since they're so popular in japan! *hitshead*

I agree with Daox. A two flush is a better option. I think we can get a $175 rebate (in Roseville) for an ultra low flush or two flush toilet. The new Urinals seem to be designed for easy cleaning which increases reflectivity which increases cleaning to the rest of the room.

Or live by the rule, if it's yellow let it mellow. ;)

In France, twoflush seam pretty standard since a decade.

In private places, I saw urinal only once and it was because she was always in toilets and he didn't want to go outside...

We have a twoflush at home and no place to install an urinal.

I don't think urinal has any connotation here. If I see one I'll use one.

Denis.

Well, there's the utility sink too. :rolleyes:

I've never seen a urinal in a private residence, and never would have even though of it until recently, when I got interested in how much water a toilet uses. Long story short: A dual flush toilet uses 3 and 6 liters, while a urinal can go as low as 1 liter. I can understand why people (especially women) may be against have urinals in their house:

Splashing,
No seat to close = always open.

Both strong hygiene arguments. My Wife said the only bathroom in our house in which a urinal can be installed is the one she doesn't use (she uses both). She wasn't impressed by a picture of a female urinal:

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1268252396

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcb (Post 183)

Well, there's the utility sink too. :rolleyes:

Yeah, the old sink in the garage was at just the right height. The new one is too high (too much splashing). You can't suite everyone...

There are waterless urinals on the market now. I'm planning one for my new detached garage that's in progress. There are two real benefits that I see: 1) I don't need to plumb in a water supply to operate the urinal; and 2) I don't need to worry about supply pipes leaking / freezing. On a side note, up until the point that the garage is finished, I can probably plumb the drain into a piece of perforated piping (french drain type?) and run about 3' of it, buried about 12" deep and it should work fine.