A green solution for public urination

Waterless urinals, an eco-friendly solution

NIRD is promoting the use of ‘Waterless Urinals’, which are developed based on a concept created by IIT-Delhi in rural areas of Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts through various camps. According to statistics, one such urinal saves anything between 56,800 liters to 1,70,000 liters of water per year

Public urination is a malady that the nation is battling from ages. Even though there are public urinals, lack of water and improper maintenance mars the use of these. In a bid to attend to the problem in an eco-friendly manner, Hyderabad-based National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) is popularising ‘Waterless Urinals’.

These urinals are developed based on the technology developed by Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and the NIRD is setting up melas in Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts to promote the use of these urinals. Waterless urinals have reduced water consumption, superior aesthetics, better sanitation and hygiene with a possibility of making compost.

They look like conventional urinals in design and do not require water for flushing and thus save anything between 56,800 liters to 1,70,000 liters of water per urinal per year. Innovative odour trap mechanism ‘Zerodor’, developed jointly by IIT Delhi and Ekam Eco Solutions assist in preventing the emanation of foul smell. The drainage lines connected to urinals do employ the same technology and it doesn’t require frequent changing of lines resulting in low maintenance costs. The concept, founded on the principle of ecological sanitation, helps in preventing environmental damage caused by conventional flush sanitation system.

The advantages of waterless urinals are plenty. These include saving of enormous quantities of water, enhancing efficiencies of sewer lines and wastewater treatment plants, optimising the cost of plumbing accessories at supply and consumption ends, power conservation for pumping water. There is a urine harvesting tank, which converts urine into a compost.

The urinals come in a sets of four urinal seats fitted with odour control trap, prefab RCC structures with decorative bamboo roof, urine harvesting tank (500 litres) fitted with submersible pump and green hedge for privacy.

Dr MV Rao, director, NIRD, stated that the Rural Technology Park set up at NIRD campus is catering to the technological requirements of all states in the country.

“We are holding camps in headquarters of all the districts as well as rural areas. The idea is to exhibit innovative and cost-effective models of rural technology. Apart from exhibiting we are helping them to secure financial aid and are also training them how to use these. Every year a technology mela is organised for creating awareness in this regard and technology innovators and artisans from far and wide to take part in the mela,” he informed.