WASHROOMS PLUG THE LEAKS
The UK can’t afford to ignore water waste any longer. With rising costs, increasing demand and looming shortages, inefficient flushing systems are draining money and resources. Smarter solutions, like sensor-controlled urinals and direct flush toilets, offer a simple fix to cut waste and futureproof buildings, says Richard Braid, Managing Director of Cistermiser.
It is inevitable: the UK is heading towards a water crisis. Drier summers, a growing population and an outdated infrastructure are all putting pressure on our water system. By 2050, forecasts indicate that water availability could fall by 10-15%, while the population is expected to hit 75 million. Without action, the country faces a daily shortfall of five billion litres of water by mid-century.
To help tackle this looming water shortage, DEFRA has set ambitious targets, including a 37% reduction in leakage by 2038 and 50% by 2050. Non-household water use is also under scrutiny, with an expected 9% reduction by 2038, rising to 15% by 2050. Yet many commercial buildings still waste huge amounts of water – often through outdated and inefficient flushing systems. Uncontrolled urinal flushing, leaking toilets and inefficient cisterns all contribute to rising water bills and unnecessary consumption.
For facilities managers, there are some simple, straightforward ways to tackle saving water. Direct flushing systems and sensor-controlled urinals for example, offer simple yet effective ways to cut waste and improve efficiency. With water security becoming a growing concern, cutting unnecessary losses in commercial buildings is an important step in safeguarding future supply.
Uncontrolled flushing One of the biggest culprits of water waste in commercial buildings is urinals that flush on a timer, regardless of use. Many older systems are set to flush automatically at regular intervals – often three times per hour, every hour of the day. This means that even when the building is empty, water is being flushed away needlessly.
A single urinal with a 7.5-litre cistern can use up to 197 cubic metres of water per year, costing an average of £417 per year. Larger cisterns waste even more. Across commercial properties, this can add up to hundreds of
24 | TOMORROW’S FM
thousands of litres of water lost every year. With water costs rising, uncontrolled urinals are becoming an increasingly expensive and unsustainable choice.
Installing intelligent urinal controls is one of the most effective ways to eliminate waste and cut water bills. Instead of flushing at set intervals, sensor-based systems only activate when needed.
The Cistermiser Direct Flush system, for example, uses infrared PIR sensors to detect when a urinal has been used, triggering a flush only when necessary. It removes the need for the auto-flush cistern and associated plumbing used in traditional urinals. The infrared sensor detects the user at the urinal and flushes two seconds are they depart. The only time the Direct Flush flushes without a user is if there has been no use of the urinal for 12 hours – then the system automatically runs a hygiene flush to prevent odours and the build-up of uric acid in the pipework. Installing Direct Flush is a simple switch that can save up to 182,000 litres of water per urinal per year and pays for itself within nine months. Install 10 and you can expect to reduce costs by £5569 and cut 0.62 tonnes of CO2
emissions annually.
Direct flushing Beyond urinals, toilets are also a significant contributor to water waste. Leaking cisterns are a widespread issue, often going undetected for months or even years. According to Waterwise, between 5-8% of UK toilets are leaking, wasting an average of 400 litres of clean drinking water per day.
A leaking toilet is often caused by seal degradation in flush valves. Traditional drop valves are prone to failure due to scale build-up, wear and tear and debris, leading to constant trickles of wasted water. It’s an issue that’s very easy to miss until a significant leak develops – often only detectable once
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