Speaking of water conservation, a waterless urinal designed by a Los Angeles company could save some 40,000 gallons per year for each model installed — but plans for expanding use of the urinals are plugged up in the L.A. bureaucracy. The device resembles a conventional urinal except that atop the drain is a plastic cartridge with an oil-like liquid seal that prevents unsavory odors from escaping while urine flows to the sewer system. No flush needed. Happy customers include the Rose Bowl, which installed 259 of the fixtures last year. But the L.A. plumbing code requires that all sanitary devices be hooked up to a water supply. When two city council members recently tried to change the rule, they ran into opposition from the city Department of Building and Safety as well as from the plumbers and pipe-fitters unions. “We don’t think the consumer should be exposed to an insanitary condition because of panic over water conservation,” said Mike Massey of the Piping Industry Progress and Educational Trust Fund. Falcon Waterfree Technologies, maker of the urinals, argues that the devices are completely sanitary and plans to keep pressing for changes to building codes.
