Water-free urinals on campus to be replaced

Once a hallmark of UNC’s sustainability initiative, the water-free urinals on campus will eventually be substituted with ultra-low-flush devices, said Carolyn Elfland, associate vice chancellor of campus services.

 Elfland said the urinals are being replaced because the University has experienced “some significant problems” with them.

The Falcon Waterfree urinals installed across campus tend to block the plumbing system at times, creating a foul smell, Elfland said.

“When we discovered the issue of deposits in the urinals, it was pretty alarming, because it could lead to big plumbing issues wherever they’re installed,” Elfland said.

She added that other schools are experiencing similar problems.

UNC first installed water-free urinals in 2002 amid a severe drought. During the installation, construction crews maintained the original plumbing in case UNC needed to revert to flushable urinals.

That foresight might ease the replacement, Elfland said.

 Although ultra-low-flush urinals will require water, they may ultimately reduce the University’s carbon footprint and costs.

Falcon Waterfree Technologies’ cartridges — the apparatus at the base of the urinal that prevents sewer gas leakage — must be replaced frequently and the used ones are deposited into landfills.

The frequent cartridge replacement has also taken an economical toll on the University.

“The Falcon Waterfree urinals sell expensive replacement cartridges,” said Cindy Shea, director of the UNC Sustainability Office. “That’s the way their business model works.”

While Falcon Waterfree Technologies’ urinal provides a liquid barrier sealant that hinders the release of sewer gases, it has failed to prevent pipe blockage, Elfland said.

“Research clearly demonstrates that liquid-filled cartridges create more of a problem with system blockage,” Elfland said.

The University experimented with the Ecotech cartridge, which uses a plastic valve rather than a liquid sealant, but had to revert to the Falcon cartridges in 2007, said Bill Burston, director of housekeeping services.

The Ecotech cartridge has a lifetime warranty and uses a rubber tube. Maintenance consisted of periodically pouring water down the urinal’s rubber tube, Shea said.

“From our perspective, it was a better technology,” she said.

But the rubber sealant violated N.C. plumbing codes.

In ultra-low-flush urinals, the University may have found a solution, but no timeline exists for the replacement, Elfland said.

“We’re developing a plan, looking at the budget and seeing how fast and under what time frame the project can be completed.”



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