Recent debate about AI data centres has brought New Zealand’s water and electricity use into sharper focus.
These large developments can require significant resources, and communities are increasingly asking how future demand will affect local water supplies.
But water efficiency is not only an issue for major technology companies or infrastructure projects.
Every office, school, warehouse, sports facility and commercial building can make practical changes to reduce unnecessary water use.
One of the easiest places to start is the bathroom.
An artist's impression of how Datagrid's data centre in Makarewa would look. (File photo) RNZ
Why does the AI data-centre debate matter to other businesses?
The discussion around AI data centres is not only about one development. It highlights a broader question about how New Zealand will manage growing demand for water, electricity and infrastructure.
Commercial buildings may use far less water than a major industrial site, but thousands of everyday fixtures create significant demand collectively.
Waterless urinals offer businesses a practical way to reduce consumption immediately, without waiting for water restrictions or major building upgrades.
Do urinals really need drinking water?
A conventional urinal can use around three litres of treated water every time it flushes.
That may not sound like much, but in a busy commercial bathroom, the volume quickly adds up.
Using URIMAT’s example, a workplace with:
- 100 users
- Four urinal visits per person each day
- Three litres per flush
- 250 operating days per year
could use approximately:
300,000 litres of water each year
That is clean, treated water being used simply to carry waste into the drain.
A waterless urinal removes that flushing water completely.
What Do Waterless Products Mean for Your Business?
Lower water use
Waterless urinals do not require water for flushing.
The more frequently your bathrooms are used, the greater the potential saving.
Lower operating costs
Reducing water consumption may also lower water and wastewater charges.
For high-use buildings, the savings can continue throughout the life of the urinal.
Fewer leaking or faulty parts
Traditional urinals often rely on cisterns, sensors, valves and flushing controls.
Waterless urinals remove these components, reducing the risk of unnoticed leaks, faulty sensors and wasted water.
No change for the user
People use a waterless urinal in the same way as a conventional urinal.
There is no button to push and no sensor to activate. The water saving happens automatically every time it is used.
Will a waterless urinal smell?
This is one of the most common questions customers ask.
URIMAT waterless urinals use a specialised odour-control system that allows liquid to pass through while helping prevent smells from returning through the drain.
As with any commercial bathroom fixture, correct cleaning and regular maintenance are important. Using the recommended products and replacing the trap component when required helps keep the system working properly.
Where can waterless urinals be used?
Waterless urinals are well suited to:
- Commercial offices
- Warehouses and factories
- Schools and universities
- Sports clubs and stadiums
- Shopping centres
- Hospitality venues
- Campgrounds
- Public bathrooms
They can be installed in new buildings, bathroom renovations or used to replace existing flushing urinals.
How much water could your site save?
Use this simple calculation:
Number of users × daily uses × litres per flush × operating days
For example:
200 users × 3 uses × 3 litres × 300 days
equals a potential saving of:
540,000 litres per year
Actual results will depend on your current fixtures and building use, but it provides a useful starting point.
Water efficiency starts with practical decisions
The discussion around AI data centres is a reminder that demand for New Zealand’s water resources is increasing.
Businesses may not control how much water major developments use, but they can make better choices within their own buildings.
Installing waterless urinals can help reduce water consumption, lower ongoing costs and improve the environmental performance of a commercial bathroom without asking users to change their behaviour.
ECOASH is the New Zealand Distributor URIMAT waterless urinals and supporting commercial bathroom products throughout New Zealand.
