What the hell are these things?

By Bobby Philbrook

Over the course of a year, the university's commitment to sustainability has subtly transformed the men's bathrooms into bastions of water conservation and improved hygiene.

Facilities director Jeffrey Charles said Santa Clara made a decision to conserve water and reduce maintenance costs by replacing inefficient flush-valve urinals. All buildings are now equipped with Falcon Waterfree urinals, except for Loyola Hall and the field house at Buck Shaw Stadium.

Charles says about 175 of the Waterfree devices have been installed on campus since the 2005 winter break.

"Saving money on water was important," said Charles, referring to the $10,000 to $12,000 saved in annual utility costs. "But when you look at the big picture of sustainability and maintenance costs, it was the right thing to do."

Sustainability Coordinator Lindsey Cromwell is pleased with the urinals' success. Like the straw bale walls and grass on the roof, the urinals started their life at Santa Clara as just one of many environmentally friendly efforts in Kennedy Commons. Cromwell says each urinal saves 4,000 gallons of water a year.

"It just so happened that the Waterfree urinals were easy to implement and cost-effective in other buildings. Other features from Kennedy will be used in the new library and the business school," said Cromwell, who graduated from Santa Clara in 2004 with a degree in biology. Cromwell added that the urinals "have been proven to work, and that's why they've infiltrated campus."

Junior political science major Jason Fox echoed common questions from male students:

"Where's the water? What's that blue stuff? How the hell do they work?" asked a frustrated Fox, who is most familiar with the Malley Fitness Center and second floor Benson restrooms. "And if these urinals are so great, how come I never see them anywhere else?"

Falcon Waterfree Technologies Vice President of Marketing Randall Goble said the education market is the largest customer for the urinal manufacturer, but the urinals have been installed in locations around the world from the Taj Mahal to Dolphin Stadium.

"Schools are great because kids can be pretty tough on plumbing," said Goble. "Jimmied flush-valves, deliberate attempts to clog, overflows. These urinals are immune to that sort of tampering."

Kids are also known for getting sick. University of Arizona microbiology professor Charles Peter Gerba participated in a study comparing the cleanliness of conventional urinals to Waterfree urinals. He debunked several common misconceptions about toilet sanitation and concluded that Waterfree urinals reduce disease transmission in men's restrooms.

"I don't know why people say urine is sterile. People secrete all types of viruses in urine," said Gerba. "The water in conventional urinals provides a wet, moist environment with plenty of food. And the spray? Just stick your head in a urinal and flush it. It spritzes bacteria everywhere."

Goble says the biodegradable blue sealant in the bowl of the Waterfree urinal is made up of a fatty alcohol designed not only to deal with urine, but also saliva, mop water and other fluids that degrade the system. As urine passes through the seal and down a drain, the vapors and bacteria cannot escape the impermeable barrier. However, the liquid seal eventually breaks down and has to be replaced.

"When the seal breaks down, it smells like urine, and that's when it's time to change the sealant," said Charles, adding that his maintenance crews are still working out how often to replace the liquid. Already, they save $65-$75 each year per urinal in maintenance costs.

"Obviously, the two most popular urinals on campus, first floor Benson, need to be changed more often than the ones in say, St. Joseph's," said Charles. "But we're a top-notch organization. Urine smell is offensive. It reflects on our pride."

Contact Bobby Philbrook at (408) 551-1918 or rphilbrook@scu.edu.

Correction: The story incorrectly stated the Waterfree urinal is designed to handle urine, saliva and mop water. It is only designed to handle urine.