Drought may aid water-free urinal push

RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 26 (UPI) -- The drought facing several southern U.S. states like Florida and Georgia may soon help facilitate a change to water-free urinals.

While the concept of waterless urinals has yet to catch on in most U.S. states, sales people have said that the existence of the lengthy drought has made the restroom items more attractive to citizens, the Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer reported Wednesday.

"We've started gaining a little ground," said Gary Rogers, who sells water-free urinals in North Carolina. "If nothing else, it's a conversation piece."

Falcon Waterfree Technologies head Robert Turner said that while Florida and Georgia have warmed to the idea of waterless urinals, some states have remained resistant to implementing the unusual technology.

"In Florida and Atlanta and with the federal government, with them it's no longer a question about the technology," Turner said. "That's not the case in the Carolinas and Tennessee."

Rather than using water, the advanced urinals use filters to trap the odor while allowing the liquid to easily through a special drain, the News & Observer said.