If you're looking at waterless urinals in New Zealand, the obvious benefit is water savings.
But that is only part of the story.
For facilities managers, commercial property owners, schools, hospitality venues, sports facilities and public buildings, the real question is usually:
Will a waterless urinal reduce our operating costs, be easy to maintain, and make sense over the life of the building?
And for some high-traffic venues, there is another interesting consideration.
Certain URIMAT models can also turn the urinal into advertising space, creating an opportunity to generate revenue from something that would normally only be a cost.
In this guide, we look at how URIMAT waterless urinals work, how they compare with conventional flushing urinals and other waterless systems, what maintenance is involved, and where the eco plus and eco video models can create additional commercial value.
Why are more New Zealand businesses considering waterless urinals?
Traditional commercial urinals use water every time they flush.
On a single fixture, that may not seem like much.
Across multiple urinals in a busy office, school, factory, stadium, pub or public facility, the volume can become significant.
And depending on where your building is located, you may be paying for both the water coming into the building and the wastewater leaving it.
A waterless urinal removes the flushing-water requirement completely.
That can reduce:
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water use
-
wastewater charges
-
reliance on flush valves and sensors
-
maintenance associated with flushing components
For high-use commercial bathrooms, those savings can add up quickly.
How does a waterless urinal work?
A normal urinal uses water to flush urine through the waste system.
A waterless urinal does not.
Instead, urine flows directly into the drainage system through a specialised trap that is designed to help prevent odours from travelling back up the pipe.
URIMAT uses its MB-ActiveTrap, which contains a membrane that opens as liquid passes through and then closes again afterwards.
The system also incorporates an ActiveCube, which is designed to help manage deposits inside the trap and waste line.
For the user, there is nothing to press.
No button.
No sensor.
No flush.
You simply use the urinal as normal.
Waterless urinals vs conventional urinals
When comparing a waterless urinal with a standard commercial urinal, the biggest difference is not the appearance.
It is what happens behind the wall.
| URIMAT Waterless Urinal | Conventional Urinal | |
|---|---|---|
| Flush water | None | Required |
| Flush valve or cistern | Not required | Usually required |
| User activation | None | Manual, timed or sensor |
| Water costs | No flushing-water use | Ongoing |
| Maintenance | Trap and cleaning system | Flush mechanism and cleaning |
| Best suited to | High-use commercial facilities | Traditional plumbing installations |
A conventional urinal is familiar and can work perfectly well.
But if the fixture is being used hundreds of times a day, it is worth understanding what that flushing water is costing you.
How much water can a waterless urinal save?
The answer depends on your building.
A site with low usage will save less than a busy commercial facility.
A simple way to estimate water use is:
Uses per day × litres per flush × operating days
For example:
100 uses per day
× 3 litres per flush
× 250 days per year
= 75,000 litres of water per year
Across four urinals:
= 300,000 litres per year
A waterless urinal removes that flushing requirement.
Once you apply your actual water and wastewater charges, you can start to estimate the potential annual saving.
That gives you a much better business case than relying on a generic water-saving figure.
What about odour?
This is one of the first questions people ask about waterless urinals.
It is also one of the most important.
A waterless urinal should not smell simply because it does not flush.
Odour control depends on three things:
-
the trap system
-
the drainage
-
the cleaning process
URIMAT's membrane trap is designed to prevent sewer gases from returning through the waste outlet.
The bowl still needs regular cleaning, just like any commercial urinal.
The key difference is that the correct cleaning products and maintenance routine should be followed.
If you are installing waterless urinals in a commercial facility, it is worth briefing your cleaning contractor at the time of installation.
Will waterless urinals block the pipes?
Waterless urinals can work very well, but drainage still matters.
Urine contains minerals that can contribute to deposits over time, particularly in older or poorly designed drainage systems.
For a retrofit, it is sensible to have a plumber check:
-
existing pipe condition
-
pipe material
-
drainage gradient
-
existing scale or deposits
-
waste connection
-
overall drainage layout
This is especially important in older buildings.
A good waterless urinal installation is not just about choosing the right fixture.
It is also about making sure the drainage is suitable.
Not all waterless urinals are the same
There are several types of commercial waterless urinals available in New Zealand.
Some use cartridges.
Some use sealing or blocking fluids.
Others use membrane-based systems.
URIMAT uses a membrane-based ActiveTrap.
When comparing products, do not just compare the purchase price.
Ask:
-
What needs replacing?
-
How often does it need replacing?
-
What cleaning products are required?
-
What are the ongoing consumable costs?
-
Are replacement parts available in New Zealand?
-
Is technical support available locally?
Those questions will tell you much more about the real cost of ownership.
Where URIMAT Gets More Interesting: Revenue-Generating Urinals
Most urinals are a cost.
You buy them.
You install them.
You clean them.
You maintain them.
That is usually the end of the story.
The URIMAT Ecoplus and Ecovideo models introduce something different.
They allow the space directly in front of the user to be used for advertising, promotional messaging or digital content.
For a high-traffic venue, that can turn a necessary bathroom fixture into a potential revenue-generating asset.
URIMAT eco plus
The URIMAT eco plus includes a display area that can be used for printed advertising or promotional content.
That could include:
-
sponsor branding
-
beverage promotions
-
local advertising
-
upcoming events
-
membership offers
-
retail promotions
-
venue information
-
health and safety messaging
For a pub or hospitality venue, the display could promote a drink special or upcoming event.
For a sports club, it could carry a sponsor advertisement.
For a shopping centre, it could promote nearby retailers.
For a stadium, it could become part of a wider sponsorship package.
The fixture is still performing its main job as a waterless commercial urinal, but it is also creating another usable advertising surface.
URIMAT ecovideo
The URIMAT ecovideo takes the idea further by incorporating a digital screen.
This allows venues to run rotating or moving content rather than a single printed message.
That opens the door to:
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multiple advertisers
-
video advertising
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rotating sponsor messages
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promotions
-
event schedules
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food and beverage offers
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competitions
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QR code campaigns
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venue information
For businesses that already sell digital advertising elsewhere in the venue, the eco video can become another screen in the network.
That is particularly relevant for:
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stadiums
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airports
-
shopping centres
-
event venues
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large pubs
-
entertainment facilities
What could the advertising revenue look like?
Every venue will be different.
The value depends on:
-
audience size
-
foot traffic
-
venue type
-
advertiser demand
-
sponsorship relationships
But the basic concept is easy to understand.
Imagine a venue has 10 advertising-enabled urinals.
If each display generates:
$50 per month
that equals
$6,000 per year
At $100 per month
it becomes:
$12,000 per year
That is before considering the water savings created by the waterless system itself.
The numbers will not be the same for every site, but the principle is important.
You are no longer looking only at:
How much does the urinal cost?
You are also asking:
What value could this space generate?
Combine water savings with advertising revenue
This is where the business case becomes interesting.
A conventional urinal creates operating costs through water use and maintenance.
A URIMAT waterless urinal can reduce some of those costs.
An eco plus or eco video can then potentially add another benefit:
advertising revenue.
So the financial equation becomes:
Water savings
+
Reduced flushing - related costs
+
Advertising or sponsorship income
=
Potentially faster payback
That makes the eco plus and eco video particularly interesting for businesses with a large, captive audience.
Who could advertise?
The obvious answer is national brands.
But local advertising can be just as valuable.
Potential advertisers might include:
-
beverage brands
-
local restaurants
-
gyms
-
trades and service businesses
-
banks
-
telecommunications companies
-
event sponsors
-
venue partners
-
nearby retailers
You can also use the space to advertise your own business.
For example:
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food specials
-
membership offers
-
merchandise
-
upcoming events
-
loyalty programmes
-
ticket offers
-
premium upgrades
That means the display can still create value even when the space is not sold to an external advertiser.
A natural fit for sponsorship packages
One of the strongest opportunities is to include URIMAT displays as part of an existing sponsorship package.
For example, a sports club may already offer:
-
website logo placement
-
field signage
-
event sponsorship
-
social media exposure
The URIMAT advertising space can simply become another benefit.
A higher-tier sponsor might receive:
website + signage + event exposure + washroom advertising
That can help the venue increase the value of sponsorship agreements without having to invent an entirely new sales model.
Which URIMAT model suits your site?
URIMAT offers several options depending on what you are trying to achieve.
URIMAT eco
A practical option for everyday commercial use.
Suitable for:
-
offices
-
schools
-
factories
-
warehouses
-
gyms
-
hospitality
-
sports facilities
URIMAT ceramic
A good choice where you want the benefits of a waterless system with the more traditional look of ceramic sanitaryware.
Suitable for:
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premium offices
-
hotels
-
restaurants
-
architectural developments
-
higher-end commercial bathrooms
URIMAT Inox
A stainless-steel option for tougher, high-use environments.
Suitable for:
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public toilets
-
stadiums
-
transport hubs
-
entertainment venues
-
high-traffic facilities
URIMAT ecoplus
Best suited to sites wanting simple printed advertising or sponsor messaging.
Ideal for:
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pubs
-
clubs
-
stadiums
-
shopping centres
-
universities
-
public venues
URIMAT ecovideo
Best suited to high-traffic venues where digital advertising has real value.
Ideal for:
-
airports
-
stadiums
-
entertainment venues
-
shopping centres
-
major hospitality sites
-
event centres
Where do waterless urinals make the most sense?
The strongest business case usually appears where bathroom usage is high.
Schools and universities
Large numbers of users and predictable daily traffic.
Offices
Especially owner-occupied buildings where operating costs matter.
Factories and warehouses
Long operating hours and large workforces.
Hospitality
Pubs, restaurants and venues with high bathroom traffic.
Stadiums and sports facilities
Large peak volumes and strong sponsorship potential.
Shopping centres
High visitor numbers and valuable advertising opportunities.
Public facilities
Councils and public buildings looking to reduce water consumption and operating costs.
Airports and transport facilities
Large audiences and strong potential for digital advertising.
New build or retrofit?
Both can work.
For a new commercial project, waterless urinals can be considered at the design stage.
That allows the plumbing system to be planned around the fixtures.
For an existing building, it is still possible to retrofit, but the drainage should be checked first.
A little planning upfront can avoid unnecessary problems later.
What does maintenance involve?
Waterless does not mean maintenance-free.
It means different maintenance.
For URIMAT, the key tasks are relatively straightforward:
-
regular cleaning
-
using the recommended cleaner
-
replacing the trap when required
Before purchasing, ask:
-
how often the trap normally needs replacing
-
what replacement traps cost
-
what cleaning products are required
-
whether parts are stocked locally
That gives you a much clearer picture of ongoing costs.
So, are waterless urinals worth it?
For many commercial sites, yes.
Particularly where usage is high.
The starting point should be the same for every project:
How much are our existing urinals costing us?
Then look at:
-
water savings
-
wastewater savings
-
maintenance
-
installation
-
expected lifespan
And if your site has high visitor numbers, add one more consideration:
Could the urinals also become valuable advertising space?
For a school or office, the biggest benefit may simply be reduced water consumption.
For a stadium, pub, airport, shopping centre or entertainment venue, the commercial opportunity can be much broader.
Looking for Waterless Urinals in New Zealand?
ECOASH supplies URIMAT waterless urinals throughout New Zealand, including the eco, ceramic, Inox, eco plus and eco video ranges.
If you're considering an upgrade, we can help you look at the full business case.
That can include:
water savings + operating costs + maintenance + advertising potential
Send us your:
-
number of urinals
-
approximate usage
-
current flush volume
-
location
-
type of venue
and we can help you identify which URIMAT solution makes sense for your site.
