A novel way to conserve water

Dubai: As concerns over energy conservation and an eco-friendly environment gain ground, a waterless urinal seems to be the next buzzword.

According to one estimate, by not using water to flush just one urinal, you can save up to a whopping 192,000 litres of water a year.

With Urimat, a waterless urinal, you may soon be able to conserve enough water for yourself, your children and your grandchildren.

Marc Brown, the director of distribution for Urimat in the UAE, said: "Everything in the UAE is going green, so we thought, as small an idea as this is, it still contributes towards water conservation."

Working principle

As for the working of the new device, when there is enough pressure on the sealant that covers the urinal hole, it moves down and drains the urinal.

Once it has emptied the load, the sealant floats back up to block the hole and the odour.

The first thing many people would think about this is that it might not be hygienic. However, according to research by LGA, an independent German government agency, Urimat is in fact 63 per cent more hygienic than normal urinals.

It has largely to do with the material used to create the urinal.

It is made of polycarbonate plastic and its surface is non-porous - meaning that bacteria would not cling to the surface, unlike the stone or ceramic-surfaced urinals that are filled with holes.

The simple and smooth shape of the bowl also does not give bacteria the chance to build up in tight spaces.

Brown said: "Because Urimat is made of plastic and is not rinsed with water, the product stays at room temperature, keeping the surface in a better condition."

Chemical-free

"If this is not enough, a chemical-free spray is used to clean the urinal bowl. A litre of this solution, mixed with a small amount of water, would last a couple of months," Brown added.

He says it does not require any water pipes and is a completely recyclable urinal.

According to Brown, although it is more expensive than a normal urinal, the amount of water it saves compensates the extra cost.

He said one can see Urimat in many hotels, construction sites and factories around the UAE. They are also being installed in several shopping malls in Dubai.