Cut the cost of spending a penny
April 26th 2006

A water-saving device that dramatically cuts the cost of spending a penny has won a government seal of approval. Enviro-Fresh’s urinal flush controller has been awarded a place on the Department of the Environment’s list of green products that attract big tax breaks for companies investing in them.

The flush controller, when used alongside Enviro-Fresh’s sani-sleeve system, allows urinal flushing to be cut from 96 times a day to 10, giving a 90 per cent water saving in washrooms. The system also cuts blockages and stops odour. With water charges rising by an average 9.4 per cent, potential savings for companies using the products can run into millions of pounds. The flush controller’s inclusion on Defra’s Water Technology List means businesses can write off the entire cost of their investment against taxable profits. Enviro-Fresh sales director Steve Chesters said: “Many building managers have installed flush control devices but then found a big increase in blockages, incurring additional costs.

“It is because of this conflict between reduced water use on urinals and increased blockages and smells that we have had such success with the Sani-Sleeve system.” The Sani-Sleeve uses friendly bacteria that prevent the build-up of uric salts that cause blockages and also eliminates bad smells with its unique odour-lock technology. Enviro-Fresh has already won contracts with phs, Dyno-Rod, Clifford Chance, Citigroup, HSBC, BAT, Devonport Dockyard, Lincoln & Oxford Brookes Universities, Holmes Place and MoD Gibraltar Barracks. Trials at 12 JD Wetherspoon pubs showed an average reduction in the total site water use of 23 per cent.

Similar results have been found by Mitchells & Butlers, whose average flushing frequency on five test pubs in London was 252 per day. This was cut to 10 flushes. The potential water cost savings across 2,400 M&B outlets could amount to £6.5 million. Airports have extreme blockage and smell problems because of the throughput of people, consequently a number of airports have started using the sani-sleeve. David Howells, terminal engineering manager at East Midlands Airport, has reported a 44.5 per cent reduction in water use since the introduction of the Sani-Sleeve into all 65 urinals.

The product has also been extensively trialled at Stansted and Gatwick.

In six washrooms with 50 urinals at Gatwick the flush frequency has been reduced from an average of 180 times per day to only 10 representing a water saving of 186,000 litres per urinal.

The results have shown an elimination of odours and a significant reduction in blockages. With 600 urinals at Gatwick this amounts to a potential saving of 112,000 tons of water. The sani-sleeve and flush controller has an installed first year cost of £150-£200 per urinal and on-going consumable cost of c£100/urinal thereafter. This gives a payback of six-nine months which is now reduced further through Defra’s Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme.

More articles from Enviro-Fresh Limited: