Commercial waterless urinals
No flushing water, no flush valve, and a planned servicing routine in place of reactive repairs. Here is what waterless urinals change in a commercial washroom, and what they still need.
Waterless operation
A waterless urinal is a wall-hung bowl connected to the building drain, with no water supply. Urine drains by gravity through an odour trap in the outlet.
- Flushing water eliminatedBecause nothing is flushed, the fixture uses no water per visit. The water a flushing urinal would have used is the saving the calculator estimates.
- Less dependence on flush valvesThere is no manual valve, diaphragm or sensor at the fixture. Those parts, and the leaks, run-ons and adjustments that come with them, are not part of the system.
- Still a plumbed fixtureThe urinal connects to the existing drain. Drain condition and slope matter, and the work should be done by a licensed plumber.
Odour-trap technology
Instead of a water seal, URIMAT urinals use the MB-ActiveTrap, a replaceable trap cartridge made by URIMAT. According to the manufacturer:
- a vertical membrane opens when liquid flows and closes again when the flow stops, sealing off drain air;
- an integrated cleaning block, the MB-ActiveCube, dissolves slowly to reduce deposits in the trap and drain line;
- a coloured surface under the trap's clear cover shows when the trap should be replaced;
- traps last an average of 7,000 to 8,000 uses, so replacement frequency depends on traffic.
Compatible cleaning and care
URIMAT recommends its MB-ActiveCleaner, a biological, pH-neutral cleaner diluted with water, or its dissolvable tablet version. Daily use on the bowl helps prevent odour from residues.
Cleaning teams should use the products the supplier specifies and ask which products to avoid. The care products are not disinfectants, and the cleaning block carries hazard labelling on its safety data sheet, so handle consumables according to the supplier's safety information.
URIMAT model ranges
URIMAT Schweiz AG, a Swiss manufacturer, makes these ranges. FlowSave Commercial is a URIMAT commercial partner and does not manufacture them. Available through our Canadian supply partner. Contact FlowSave Commercial for current stock, model options and a custom quotation.
| Range | Material | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| eco25 | High-tech plastic | Lightweight wall-hung bowl. Variants with a static information panel (eco25plus) or a 6.5-inch video display (eco25video, needs power). |
| ceramic20 | Glazed ceramic | Ceramic bowl with the NRV 2.0 non-return valve, which keeps the drain closed while the odour trap is being changed. |
| ceramic C2 | Non-porous ceramic | Ceramic bowl, also with NRV 2.0. A version with the manufacturer's automatic cleaning system (CS) exists and needs power. |
| inox | Stainless steel | Metal bowl for settings that call for stainless steel; uses its own trap variant. |
Model information from URIMAT Schweiz AG's current English product pages and 2026 brochure, checked 28 October 2026. Specifications can change; confirm them with the supplier before ordering.
Where they fit
Waterless urinals suit commercial washrooms with steady male washroom traffic and a team or contractor who can follow a cleaning and trap-replacement routine: offices, hotels, restaurants, shopping centres, arenas, schools and campuses.
Retrofit feasibility
Replacing existing flushing urinals is often possible, but the answer depends on the building. An assessment checks:
- Drain conditionURIMAT's installation instructions say existing drain pipes should be professionally cleaned when replacing water-flushed urinals, to remove scale and deposits.
- Drain slopeThe drain must not slope backwards toward the fixture.
- Rough-in and mountingOutlet height and position, wall construction and whether a mounting frame is needed.
- Water supplyHow the existing supply to each urinal will be dealt with is a question for your plumber.
- Code and permitsApproval rests with the local authority having jurisdiction. Your plumber should confirm permit and documentation requirements with the municipality before work starts.
Servicing requirements
Waterless urinals are not maintenance-free. A realistic servicing plan includes:
- Routine bowl cleaning with the specified cleaner, as part of normal washroom rounds.
- Checking each trap's life indicator and replacing traps when due. At an average of 7,000 to 8,000 uses per trap, a urinal used 100 times a day would need a new trap roughly every 70 to 80 days.
- Periodic drain-line checks and rinsing, because urine sludge can collect without flush water.
- Keeping floors, walls, joints and floor drains clean, since these are common sources of washroom odour.
Trap life as stated by URIMAT; the replacement interval is our own arithmetic for illustration. Actual intervals depend on use and site conditions.
Is your facility a good candidate?
Send us your fixture counts and location for a free assessment of waterless options, servicing needs and costs.