Waterless Co. Inc. makes sanitary, water-free urinals that will save you time and money!
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Articles by Klaus Reichardt
How can building managers weather potential water shortages?
Canada has long been regarded as a water-rich nation, with abundant freshwater resources. Over the coming decade, however, that picture is expected to become far more complex. While some regions will continue to have abundant supplies, others will face shortages and growing water uncertainty. Several factors are driving these emerging challenges, including shifting climate conditions, uncertain groundwater availability, and aging or inadequate water infrastructure.
Facility Cleaning & Maintenance
Many Canadians may be surprised to learn that the country already hosts more than 300 data centres, including some built specifically for artificial intelligence. Microsoft has added to this growth with a major investment that includes four large-scale data centre campuses near Quebec and Ontario, built primarily to support AI workloads. For facility managers — particularly those overseeing large properties or multi-building campuses — these developments have real operational consequences.
A look at Canadian data centres and water consumption
Artificial intelligence (AI) data centres are rapidly transforming the North American landscape, appearing swiftly and unexpectedly across Canada. The central issue centres on water usage, as some AI data centres can consume millions of litres of potable water daily. Kathryn Barnwell, retired English professor in Nanaimo, B.C., voices a growing concern “Life on this planet is sustained by water. It is not sustained by data.
SOAPBOX: AI's hidden cost… water consumption set to quadruple by 2028
Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 13th November 2025 Issue no. 1186 Your industry news - first The original and best - for over 20 years! We strongly recommend viewing Cleanzine full size in your web browser. Click our masthead above to visit our website version. SOAPBOX: AI's hidden cost… water consumption set to quadruple by 2028 By Klaus Reichardt, CEO of Waterless Co. “Artificial intelligence is creating an unprecedented water crisis.
Improve Restroom Hygiene by Reducing Urinal Splashback
Urinals, in one form or another, have been around for centuries. The basic design of urinals, as we recognize them today, was patented on March 27, 1866, by Dr. Andrew Rankin, who earned a degree in the field then known as Urineology from the University of Boston. We can confidently assume that ever since then, urinal splashback has been a persistent concern. Splashback commonly occurs when urine hits the water stored at the base of a conventional urinal or strikes its sides.
How Waterless Urinals Are Driving Measurable Gains in Building Sustainability
Facility managers looking for high-impact sustainability upgrades are turning to an often-overlooked fixture: the urinal. The shift toward waterless urinals, specifically, appears to be gaining momentum across commercial real estate, education, and healthcare sectors. This is because managers are under increased pressure to reduce water usage, trim utility expenses, and meet growing environmental compliance standards.
Water sustainability as a corporate strategy
For the past several years, sustainability has driven corporate strategies worldwide as government agencies, investors, and consumers have pressured organizations to reduce carbon footprints, increase transparency, develop responsible business practices, and use natural resources more efficiently. Recently, however, it seems that some sustainability initiatives have lost their momentum… Or have they? According to HEC Paris, a business school founded in 1881, the reality is more nuanced.
Invest in Sinks and Toilets, Not Boardrooms
The commercial property sector is steadily recovering from the pandemic, with leased office vacancy rates across the U.S. averaging 18.1%, according to a report released in April by Colliers, a global company providing services to commercial real estate users, owners, investors, and developers. However, office vacancy rates in some areas of the country remain higher than 20%, with vacancy rates at 23.8% in Los Angeles, 24.2% in Chicago, 27.9% in Houston, and 30.6% in San Francisco.
2025 restroom trends you can count on
Each year, leaders in the fashion, building design, construction, and home design predict upcoming trends. While these forecasts often receive significant attention, it’s important to note that in some sectors, the same level of anticipation and analysis applies to restroom design in commercial facilities. No matter the industry, some predicted trends quickly become reality, while others may take longer or never materialize.
LEED v5 Promotes Water Efficiency
Every five years, the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) updates the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program. Typically, these updates examine new environmental, social, health, and cultural concerns. Following some changes spurred by feedback from the cleaning industry, LEED version five (v5) is currently under review, with the final version to be released in 2025.
There's Real Value in Water Efficiency
On July 29, 2024, Cal Water, the third largest water utility company in the country serving half-a-million customers in California, announced that it has helped its customers reduce their water bills by 20.5% in the last 15 years. This is compared to what they might have been charged without water conservation and water efficiency efforts in place. This is based on a study released by the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE), a highly respected nonprofit research organization based in Chicago.
Water Conservation Starts With Auditing the Drips
A consistent trend in water consumption has emerged in the past 40 years. A report by the U.S. Geological Survey examining U.S. water use trends from 1950 to 2015 revealed that the nation’s water use had reached its peak in 1980 and has remained relatively stable since then. Despite this consistency, the report determined a need arose for ongoing water monitoring, enhanced water efficiency, and plans to increase water conservation—in other words, a comprehensive water management program.
LEED v5 and water consumption for maintenance and property managers
Recently, the US Green Building Council (USGBC) formally introduced LEED v5, its latest leadership in the Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program. This proposed new version of LEED is currently in a public comment period, a crucial stage where the USGBC collects and reviews public comments. These comments could lead to changes or adjustments before the final version of v5 is released in 2025.
Water Efficiency
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority will see income-qualified customers receive help from a professional plumber to repair water leaks and install water savings devices.
Drought, water conservation, and water efficiency
According to The Canadian Drought Monitor, droughts are a “creeping phenomenon.” They are “difficult to define and measure, slow to develop, continuous, cumulative, and long-lasting.
Restroom Renovation — Parks & Rec Business (PRB)
Keeping a lid on costs while sprucing it up a bit ByKlaus Reichardt When it comes to facility renovations in many park and recreation facilities, the one area that nearly all administrators want to upgrade is the restrooms. However, restroom renovation remains a dream for too many administrators. The reason is simple: it can be costly. A full renovation involves removing floors, walls, counters, partitions, outdated restroom fixtures (toilets, urinals, faucets, etc.), lighting, and mirrors.
What Is Aridification, and How Can Facility Managers Help Address the Issue?
An elderly but long-time Californian remembers 1976 as a fun year. The economy was finally pulling out of a recession that started in 1973. The Watergate “nightmare,” as then-President Ford called it, was behind us. And Californians were having a lot of fun with—of all things—a drought that year. They made up comical jingles to remind each other to save water, especially when using the bathroom.
The Forgotten Part of Restroom Care...Drains
When it comes to restroom care protocols, the focus is invariably on the cleanliness and appearance of restroom fixtures, floors, walls, counters, and mirrors. However, cleaning professionals should know there is one especially critical area that is often overlooked in the cleaning process—drains, specifically floor drains. Escaped sewer odors Problems with drains date back to the introduction of commercial and residential plumbing.
Are We 'Out of the Woods' When It Comes to Water Shortages? Efficiency Tips for FMs
The rainy season in California begins each year in October. When it started in October 2021, nearly half of the state was experiencing “exceptional” drought. This is the most severe category of drought. As for the rest of the state, 87% faced “extreme” drought, the second-most severe category. But flash forward three months, and it became like night and day.
Industrial facilities making strides in reducing water consumption
Many people are not aware of that manufacturers are making considerable progress in reducing water consumption. They are doing this not only because they may be in areas of the world suffering from chronic droughts or climate change, but because it is simply good business. The less water used, the less these industries must pay for water, and in some cases, the cost of water may be one of their most significant expenses.
Is this summer the game changer?
Many of us may not be aware of this because it has received so little attention in North America, but Turkey is currently fighting some of the worst fires in decades. According to an August New York Times report: “Fires blazed uncontrollably for the eighth day on Wednesday, aggravated by a record-breaking heatwave that follows a prolonged drought.
Dripping With Good News — Parks & Rec Business Magazine (PRB)
Water conservation in parks and recreation By Klaus Reichardt Often, when the topics of water conservation and general water issues arise, people usually focus on why and how we can conserve and protect this valuable resource. However, instead of discussing the reasoning and warning signs, let’s learn from some communities that are dramatically reducing their water use, and making water conservation part of everyday life.
Water Audits at Sea
By Klaus Reichardt January 28, 2020 On land, one of the most effective ways to reduce water consumption is to conduct a “water audit,” which involves analyzing a building’s water use, discovering where potential water savings are possible, and implementing a cost-effective plan to turn those possible water savings into reality.
When It Comes to Water, Yes, There May Be Light at the End of the Tunnel
By Klaus Reichardt “New evidence supports scientific fears that the Middle East and North African regions are at risk of becoming uninhabitable in a few decades,” writes Kamal Baher, an Egyptian-born journalist with the Inter Press Service International, headquartered in Rome, Italy.
Why the Era of Water Efficiency Has Arrived
Klaus Reichardt The Beverly Hills Waldorf Astoria opened in 2017. As you can imagine, no expense was spared to ensure its guests would enjoy some of the most elegant accommodations to be found, not just in Southern California, but anywhere in the world. Moreover, with room rates ranging from $700 to more than $4,000 per night, their guests expected nothing less. However, along with the elegant accommodations, the hotel took some very practical design steps, especially regarding water efficiency.
A Sneak Peek into Restrooms of the Future
As restrooms modernize for the future, expect to see a focus not only on sanitation and sustainability, but also on safety. Safety First Public restrooms can be the target of vandalism, loitering, and unlawful behavior, including drug sales. Loos of the future will discourage this behavior via virtual assistants. No crowding: To ensure only one person uses the restroom at a time (excluding parents with children) users will hit a call button.
Reduce Water Consumption with Safety in Mind
A report from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) had some slightly unexpected but very good news for Americans when it comes to water consumption. Very simply, we’re using a lot less. The USGS conducts studies regarding US water consumption every five years.
Water Reducing Strategies Can Pay Big Time For Industrial Consumers
The need for industrial facilities to reduce water consumption is becoming ever more pressing. In areas of the country like California and many surrounding states, it has been a concern for decades. Now, other parts of the country, many of which have traditionally had few worries when it comes to water consumption, are also being asked to cut back. Facility managers should look at this as an opportunity. Very simply, it pays to reduce consumption.
Facing Growing Water Demand Without Aquifers
With the demand for water in this country and around the world growing significantly every year, we won't have the luxury of waiting thousands of years for these aquifers to carry water again. In July 2014, a family that had just purchased a new home in an area of Arizona called Sulphur Springs had an unusual experience. One of the family members began filling a glass of water, and instead of clean, clear water coming out of the tap, it was cloudy and brown.
Drought Dominoes: The Psychological Impact of Droughts -- Environmental Protection
We are always going to have droughts. The only way we can address droughts and help prevent this drought domino and effect reduce mental stress is to use water much more efficiently. Most of us are aware of just how dire the current water situation is in Cape Town, South Africa. Day Zero, when there is no water left for the city's nearly four million people, keeps getting pushed back. But it appears that without a significant rainfall event soon, Day Zero will soon arrive.
How Industrial Facilities Can Transfer from Water Use to Water Efficiency
In coming years, the industrial sector will be pressed harder to reduce water consumption and use water more efficiently. With water- and sewage-related costs increasing, they will want to reduce consumption even further. While the averages can fluctuate, it is estimated that more than 30 percent of the water consumed in the United States is used in the industrial sector. And with the economy currently on the upswing, we likely can expect this percentage to rise.
Go Beyond Fixing Leaks
On September 10, 2017, The Seattle Times published an article discussing a proposed water rate hike amounting to a 5.5 percent increase annually through 2023. According to the article, many residential consumers would be paying up to US$250 per month more than they do today for water and sewer charges. Similar rate increases are planned for various commercial facilities in the city, including office buildings, schools, and health care facilities.
A Sneak Peek into Restrooms of the Future
As restrooms modernize for the future, expect to see a focus not only on sanitation and sustainability, but also on safety. Public restrooms can be the target of vandalism, loitering, and unlawful behavior, including drug sales. Loos of the future will discourage this behavior via virtual assistants. No crowding: To ensure only one person uses the restroom at a time (excluding parents with children) users will hit a call button.
Drain maintenance helps prevent cockroach infestations
Let's start out with a scenario: A building manager calls you, a local plumber, with a problem regarding one of the building's restroom floor drains. No, the pipe is not clogged, and the drain cover is firmly attached, so nothing has fallen down the drain.The problem is what is coming out of the drain.
The Economic Implications of Water Shortages
Better water management is a key factor in reducing U.S. water consumption that can be replicated in other parts of the world. Typically, when we consider water shortage issues around the world, the focus is on water scarcity. We often look at certain regions of the world—and at times, in our own country—when there is not enough water to meet the needs, or customary needs, of the community. However, there is another element to water shortages that is becoming almost as important and critical.
How A Water Audit Pays Off
Managers of industrial facilities want to conserve water and find ways to use it more efficiently if for no other reason than it is the right thing to do, right? Well, yes, it is the right thing to do, but there is another reason managers of industrial locations should consider ways to reduce water consumption, and that is to save money. This article is being written in Chicago where water and sewer rates have essentially doubled since 2007 and have yet to plateau.
Modern Restrooms Are Focused on Water Conservation
Droughts are nothing new in the U.S. Probably the worst drought in the country’s history occurred in the 1930s. Referred to as the Dust Bowl, it spanned eight years in certain parts of the Great Plains and caused mass migration.
Did California Stop Mandatory Water Conservation Efforts Too Soon?
A little more than a year ago, California’s Gov. Jerry Brown ordered mandatory water reductions of 25 percent throughout the state. And in some areas, citizens were ordered to reduce consumption by 35 percent. This was all in response to more than four years of severe drought. However, in June 2016, those mandatory reductions were lifted, mainly because the state was blessed with considerable rainfall the previous winter.
Commentary: Using water responsibly
By Klaus Reichardt As most people know, California is now in its fourth year of drought and 2016, which could be the fifth year, is sending us mixed signals. January was very wet, but February was bone dry. However, what many people do not realize is that the state is handling this drought much better than those in the past, specifically the 1976 drought that had the state on its knees. What the state learned can and has benefited the entire country.
Roundup 2.5.16 | Idaho Business Review
Alliance Title and Escrow Co. leased 6,447 square feet in the Video Eye building, 9465 Emerald St., in Boise. Greg Gaddis with Tenant Realty Advisors represented the tenant and DJ Thompson of Cushman Wakefield|Commerce represented the Landlord. CDI Contractors Inc. leased 3,650 square feet at 4481 N. Dresden Place in Boise. Chris Pearson, SIOR, of Thornton ...
The time is right for low-water fixtures in Idaho
All is not so good when it comes to water in Idaho. Groundwater reserves, contained in layers of rock known as aquifers, peaked in the 1950s and have been dropping ever since. It looks like some of the other water-related problems that have gripped California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona and other western states may now ...
New administration could change course of proposed OSHA rules
In fighting against proposed federal rules meant to curtail work-site exposures to certain harmful substances, trades groups are hoping to get a little help from the next occupant of the White House. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration has proposed a pair of rules that are aimed at reducing workers' exposure to crystalline silica and beryllium, ...
Proposal would shift ISP funds to Idaho roads, bridges
The Idaho State Police budget would see a dramatic $16.7 million drop in funding under a new bill headed to the Senate floor. Those funds would be shift to repair the state’s aging roads and bridges. The state police now receive 5 percent of the first 25 cents of the state’s fuel tax revenue. The remaining revenue is split between local highway districts and state roads. The Senate Transportation and Defense Committee approved removing ISP from the tax revenue stream.
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