Waterfree Urinals Play Important Role in Popular Restaurant’s “Green” Restroom
The Crow’s Nest is a highly popular restaurant located on the water in the Central Coast city of Santa Cruz, California. The 14,000 square foot facility serves lunch and dinner seven days a week year round, doing approximately $6.5 million of business annually.
High Water Rates Make Conservation Important
Santa Cruz County relies entirely on local sources for its water supply. Because the resource is limited and the region is subject to periodic drought, water rates are high, making conservation extremely important to the area’s residents and businesses. The Crow’s Nest is no exception. The restaurant has undertaken a number of water conservation efforts to reduce consumption, including installing a high efficiency dishwashing system, sensor operated faucets, low flush toilets, and two Waterfree Urinals.
Saving 120,000 Gallons Per Year
According to the Crow’s Nest’s Facilities Manager, Mike McClellan, he was impressed with the water saving potential of Waterfree Urinals when he learned about them at a restaurant show in 2000. “The savings looked to be excellent, so we decided to give it a try,” he says. McClellan replaced two standard urinals in the Crow’s Nest’s busy bar restroom. “It’s an incredibly high–volume facility, so we figured we’d start by trying the Waterfree Urinals there first.” After two years, McClellan couldn’t be more satisfied with their performance. “With our high volume usage, we estimate that we save approximately 60,000 gallons of water per urinal per year. Based on current water and sewer rates, that saves us a total of $1,560 per year, which more than covers the cost of the urinals.”
But McClellan says the amount of water conserved is the real benefit. “If we have a water shortage, cost isn’t the first thing we worry about. We can’t run a restaurant without sufficient water, so doing everything we can to ensure a constant supply. This is vitally important to us. Waterfree Urinals are the biggest contributors to our water conservation efforts.”
Patrons Applaud Crow’s Nest’s Environmental Awareness
Waterfree Urinals also help contribute to the Crow’s Nest’s reputation as a “green” business. In a community with a reputation for its environmental awareness, patrons have applauded the restaurant’s water-saving urinals. “They appreciate that Waterfree Urinals save water. And many customers have also told us how much they love the convenience and hygiene of a handsfree fixture,” McClellan says.
McClellan says that he has implemented other measures, such as installing a highly efficient touchless hand dryer, replacing incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs, and installing a sensor-operated faucet in the hand sink, to create a true “all green” restroom. Thanks to the Waterfree Urinals, his plan is complete.
