While Governor of California Jerry Brown has imposed mandatory water restrictions for the first time on residents, businesses and farms, ordering cities and towns in the drought-ravaged state to reduce usage by 25%, he has yet to initiate other, long-lasting changes in the state’s construction policies and tax structure to both educate and inform the state’s residents that there are other, simpler changes that can be made to curb the state’s overall water consumption.
To be more precise, the mandated use of dry urinals, on-demand hot water heaters and low-flow shower heads in all newly constructed homes and businesses. In addition to the benefits that will be associated with this huge shift, I would also like to petition the governor to incentivize via the receipt of tax benefits that all businesses that retrofit their establishments with these water saving devices be rewarded with a tax credit.
With this in mind, the American Hotel and Lodging Association website (https://www.ahla.com/Green.aspx?id=31398) indicates that “It is estimated that up to 20% of the available drinking water in the world is flushed down the drain. Waterline leakage can add an additional 8% to that figure. A waterless urinal saves on average about 40,000 gallons of water per year. An average hotel with 25 urinals can reduce its water and sewer consumption by 1,000,000 gallons of water yearly.
The operating costs of waterless urinals are only about $1 per 1,000 flushes. To name a few, there are substantial savings in valve repairs, waste line cleanouts, overuse of water, overflows, and water leaks.”
So as you can see, it only makes sense to demand that this change be made on behalf of not only ourselves, but the generations that will follow as well!
