Have you ever used a public toilet that used non-concussive taps? You might be wondering if these sort of taps had some special feature that warranted them to be assigned a very classy or sophisticated name. An advanced name indeed! More public toilets are being fitted with these self-closing taps, to ensure water and energy are saved. You can imagine, users may not pay special care to shared portable units or standard public toilets. There are the odd occasions when we walk into a running toilet tap left in that state by the previous user. The amount of sheer negligence and nonchalance can be quite evident for most to see. This has now led to most public facilities at train stations, shopping malls, airports and restaurants to install self-closing taps.
The importance of self-closing taps
Research reveals that more than 50 per cent of external water use goes to waste as a result of evaporation, wind from nature or runoff due to overwatering. The challenge of water runoff is not only expected to take place externally when we are watering our garden, washing our car or cleaning a muddy private pavement. We understand about 30 to 70 per cent of water usage takes place externally and waste is expected to arise when carrying out the usual outdoor tasks. Here some benefits of self-closing taps
- Reducing water waste: The staggering waste of water during domestic use has led to the rise of self-closing taps. We do understand that clean water is not accessible by everyone around the world. Some are more opportune than others when it comes to access to clean water. These non-concussive taps are ideal for reducing the waste of water in places where there is availability. Public toilets now set a timer for how long a tap can run when washing your hands after completing a number one or two.
- Preserve energy: Interestingly, The United Nations Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) establishes that the amount of energy expected to refine water safe enough for human consumption is 0.37 kWh/m. Energy is essential to the entire water cycle that consists of supply, treatment, use and disposal. Without energy, it will be difficult to process water to a safe enough state for humans. This highlights that a reduced rate of water consumption has a positive impact on the amount of energy utilised. With self-closing taps, we are less likely bound to wastewater during domestic use, which will leave those managing a nation’s energy happy.
- Preventing flooding: In terms of flooding, we are not referring to one caused by a clogged drain or an improperly modified float that has led to an overfill of the toilet tank. Toilet flooding in this context is one caused by an overrunning tap that is as a result of a mechanical fault or sheer human neglect. A great way to prevent a public toilet from looking like a mini swimming pool is to install self-closing taps with a functional timer that cuts off the flow of water in a timely fashion.
Overall, these are some of the benefits of self-closing taps in public toilets.
