Source Reduction: Waterless, Odorless Urinals

Concerned about environmental impact and eager to contribute to the circular economy, the company Vapor Rail, supported by Accademia Qualitas, has changed out its urinals for a waterless system. While this technology is in use in Ontario, it is a first for Montreal.

The new system’s eco-conscious design uses 99.9% less water than the previous system, saving about $1,000 per year. The system also reduces the risk of flooding in the building, as the circuits have been cut off from the water supply. 

But what about the odours? People who use the bathrooms love the clean smell that comes from them. Compared to the twenty-year-old infrastructure for this type of urinal, this system neutralises the smell of urine from the first. 

One of the challenges of this project has been finding a Quebec plumber willing to install the system. The old waterless urinals have left a bad taste in plumbers’ mouths, as they did not neutralise odours; a thin coat of oil meant to prevent the smell from spreading was often broken, leaving the strong smell of urine to suffuse the bathroom. Fortunately, a plumber in the Ottawa area who has already installed this system came to Vapor Rail’s rescue.

When it comes to the importance of source reduction, there are benefits not only for Vapor Rail, but also for the Montreal water treatment plant. The company and the city are both winners: that’s 900,000 litres of water per year that no longer pass through the City of Montreal’s water treatment plant. 

And what about the old urinals? Not to worry, they’ve been donated to a company for reuse--nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything circulates.

The amount of potable water used was reduced by 99.9%. The only water used is for changing the neutralising tablet, 10 litres per urinal every six months.