PRODUCT SURVEY RESULTS
Waterless Urinals
This product survey is an independent opinion poll-type survey conducted by ASPE and Plumbing Systems & Design. The survey has no connection to any manufacturer nor has any manufacturer commissioned, paid for, or sponsored it. The survey was conducted as an opinion poll. The results are intended to provide useful and independent information to plumbing engineers, designers, and contractors and to act in the capacity of peer-to-peer interaction and information sharing. The results are reported as simple statistics reflecting the answers of the survey respondents. The survey results stand alone as respondents’ opinions and perceptions. No commentary has been provided nor have any conclusions been drawn from the data. The survey results are not intended to provide engineering, design, or specification guidance.
Survey Methodology
Blank surveys were sent to the presidents of 59 ASPE chapters representing approximately 6,500 members. Of the total membership, approximately 60 percent are plumbing engineers, designers, or contractors. The survey methodology provides for a self-limiting universe with a maximum expected return rate of 200-250 responses (the number of surveys returned for this inquiry exceeded the expected return rate). This survey has not been conducted under vigorous research survey methodologies nor have the results been statistically analyzed in accordance to such methodologies. This opinion poll-type survey is extensively biased to those plumbing engineers/designers who were in attendance at a chapter meeting at the time the survey was handed out or to whom a chapter president may have asked to participate.
Which of the following best describes your professional
expertise?
Plumbing engineer/designer: |
65.32% |
Contractor: |
7.74% |
Owner/president of a design firm: |
3.03% |
Mechanical engineer/designer that does some
plumbing design: |
13.80% |
Facility Owner/Facility Maintenance: |
2.36% |
No Response to this Question: |
7.74% |
How knowledgeable are you with Waterless Urinals?
Highly knowledgeable |
Very knowledgeable |
Knowledgeable |
Somewhat knowledgeable |
Not knowledgeable |
11.31% |
18.37% |
39.22% |
20.14% |
10.95% |
With which of the following Waterless Urinal manufacturers are you familiar?
Highly familiar |
Very familiar |
Familiar |
Somewhat familiar |
Not |
|
| Duravit | 1.01% |
1.01% |
5.37% |
5.37% |
87.25% |
| Falcon | 9.36% |
8.70% |
13.04% |
8.70% |
60.20% |
| Sloan | 14.33% |
14.33% |
28.33% |
14.67% |
26.33% |
| Waterless Co. | 8.00% |
9.67% |
13.67% |
10.00% |
58.67% |
| Zero Flush | 3.00% |
3.67% |
6.00% |
11.33% |
76.00% |
| Zern | 7.33% |
11.00% |
23.00% |
13.67% |
45.00% |
| Other | 1.67% |
2.33% |
2.67% |
4.33% |
89.00% |
| Other manufacturers specified: Kohler, Coroma. | |||||
Have you ever designed or used a waterless urinal in a building’s
plumbing design?
Yes 31.00%
No 69.00%
How would you rate your experience with Waterless Urinals?
Highly pleased |
Very pleased |
Pleased |
Somewhat pleased |
Not pleased |
1.68% |
12.61% |
36.97% |
31.09% |
17.65% |
Of the following Waterless Urinal manufacturers, how often do you use their products?
Always use |
Use a lot |
Have used |
Somewhat used |
Never use |
|
| Duravit | 0.00% |
2.22% |
1.11% |
3.33% |
93.33% |
| Falcon | 5.61% |
10.28% |
18.69% |
9.35% |
56.07% |
| Sloan | 13.91% |
14.78% |
29.57% |
7.83% |
33.91% |
| Waterless Co. | 3.85% |
12.50% |
11.54% |
10.58% |
61.54% |
| ZeroFlush | 1.08% |
3.23% |
3.23% |
2.15% |
90.32% |
| Zurn | 6.00% |
13.00% |
15.00% |
6.00% |
60.00% |
| Other | 0.00% |
0.00% |
1.83% |
3.64% |
94.55% |
| Other manufacturers specified: Coroma. | |||||
Do you intend to continue to engineer/design/specify/use Waterless Urinals?
Yes 29.00%
No 71.00%
If “NO” reasons written in for why not (duplicates and similar removed):
95% of work health care related, no big demand in hospitals; bad rep; clients are not
interested; don’t know enough information; if owner requested; if required; it was a
problem to owner- odor-poor maint.; not in my line of work; not recommended; not
required; odor problem; only if an owner insist; only if required; only if specifically
asked by owner; owner had to replace; prefer to have water using the waste lines;
problem with up keep; saves water but messy; smell poor drain lines; they are not
sanitary; they smell bad!; we received negative feedback from owners.
Have you ever had to replace Waterless Urinals?
Yes 29.00%
No 71.00%
If “YES” What did you replace them with?
Yes |
No |
|
| Another Waterless Urinal — Same Brand | 0.33% |
99.67% |
| Another Waterless Urinal — Different Brand | 4.67% |
95.33% |
| A flush type urinal | 0.33% |
99.67% |
Of those respondents indicating that they had a personal viewpoint on the quality of Waterless Urinal products, they were asked how they would rate the quality of products for each of the following?
Excellent |
Good |
Okay |
Fair |
Poor |
|
| Duravit | 0.00% |
12.50% |
16.67% |
20.83% |
50.00% |
| Falcon | 14.29% |
16.67% |
30.95% |
14.29% |
23.81% |
| Sloan | 16.36% |
27.27% |
23.64% |
18.18% |
14.55% |
| Waterless Co. | 11.63% |
23.26% |
20.39% |
18.60% |
25.58% |
| ZeroFlush | 0.00% |
20.69% |
13.79% |
20.69% |
44.83% |
| Zurn | 6.25% |
31.25% |
31.25% |
0.00% |
31.25% |
Regardless of whether you do or do not use Waterless Urinals, what disadvantages do your see them having?
Yes |
No |
|
| Don’t know anything about them | 9.33% |
90.67% |
| Don’t like them | 11.33% |
88.67 |
| Believe they are unnecessary | 6.33% |
93.67% |
| Don’t think they work properly | 9.67% |
90.33% |
| Difficult to install properly | 4.67% |
95.33% |
| Just have never used them | 12.33% |
87.67% |
| Maintenance after installation | 65.% |
35.00% |
| Not approved by code | 16.00% |
84.00% |
| They have odor issues | 38.67% |
61.33% |
Other advantages written in (duplicates and similar removed): 1/8 gallon is a good alternative; assignment of cost of cartridge/liquid replacement buid up in drain line; check out novi town-wont go into new roomstinks; cleaning - waste more water; cleaning training&supplies for cleaning; clients do not like them and will switch flush ur.; copper waste arms replaced with pvc; customers rarely want them; debris in bottom; drain clogging; hospital use people on med. very high odor; hygiene issues in schools; i don’t see a disadvantage; if not maintained water becomes an issue; in healthcare, there is a stigma of infection cont; need to maintained properly; not built/ tested to standard; not entire sanitary; people will not clean them -disposal of cartrige; polution from discarded cartridges; proper location in drain stream; require more attention when cleaning; sanitary issues after each use; sanitary issues-inspector has sanitation concerns; sanitation/ affect on drainage materials; smells; some cities require water to be pipe just in case.; splash back is an issue since no washdown; teeaching janitorial staff to maintain properly; they work well under heavy use; trap refills are costly, raw urine causes pipe rot; water urinals plug up waterless have to be worse.; worry bout mineral build up in waste line.
Regardless of whether you do or do not use Waterless Urinals, what advantages do you see them having ?
Yes |
No |
|
| Less expensive to install | 31.00% |
69.00% |
| Cost savings/less piping required | 49.00% |
51.00% |
| Easier to design/specify | 14.00% |
86.00% |
| Less building penetrations | 19.67% |
80.33% |
| Cost savings/no flush valves | 57.67% |
80.33% |
Other disadvantages written in (duplicates and similar removed):applications where limited water supply; better for environment water usage, energy savings; cost of fixture is more than std. urinal!; cost saving/no water usage; don’t think they will work; environment friendly; good for freezing areas (unheated) spaces; good for green building may qualify for leed point; good for park & rec areas where no water is available; hands free/ sanitation; have not found one yet!; I don’t see any advantages; leed points for water savings; less than water used for green design; less water use; less water use gain leed points; less water/ sewer cost to owner; no drain; save water; saves on water bill for owner; saves the planet; there are no advantages they’re not sanitary; think not an advantage, sooner or later will be replaced; think they have their place in achieving “green”; up front cost is lower; water conservation; water savings are substantial; water use savings works better in renovations.