Water and energy

Water is one of the world’s most energy-intensive industries. Ranking fourth in the UK – it consumes 3% of total electricity production and generates 1% of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions. Every gallon of water used has a carbon footprint, in the UK equivalent to some 1.5m average annual car emissions.

By focusing on locations with high footfall and water use, Propelair maximises the impact of its water-saving technology, reducing water consumption in toilets ‘out-of-home’ premises by over 84% while cutting carbon footprint by an average of 80%.

Though achieved off-site, these savings are no less real. Water companies use less energy and generate proportionately less greenhouse gas emissions when their customers use effective water-saving technologies.

Water and social justice

In December [2021] Propelair signed a distribution deal to supply Propelair toilets throughout South Africa. Its partner, Amalooloo, brings innovation and improved sanitation to rural households and schools across Africa and will introduce Propelair to rural areas and commercial premises.

Our aim through this partnership is to help build a sustainable, hygienic future for rural communities, while helping them save money and conserve precious water.

Water-stressed South Africa is committed to preserving its precious resources through the National Water Resources Strategy NWRS2, to ensure sustainable supply and equitable development. We’re developing a renewable energy initiative with Amalooloo in Africa, so watch this space!

Water and food security

Water is key to food security. Crops and livestock need water to grow. Agriculture requires large quantities of water for irrigation and of good quality for various production processes, so the more water diverted from bathroom use to food production, the better.

Water and health

Water and health go hand in hand – the average human lasts only three days without it – but we go beyond conservation to embrace health and hygiene far more effectively.

Despite using about 84% less water, our air-powered action is so efficient, all waste is removed in a single flush – taking away up to 99.9% of germs from inside the pan, with no flowback of previous users’ germs. Further, the technology prevents more germs being sprayed in the air when flushing, eliminating up to 95% of airborne germs, while standard toilets can reach up to 80%.

Closing the lid of a normal toilet eliminates up to 80% of airborne germs – ours removes 95%. Our toilet is designed so the part you touch sits away from the lid and pan and never comes in contact with the toilet – you don’t touch the lid.

With Propelair, you have far fewer germs floating in cubicles, landing on surfaces, getting into your venting systems and spreading throughout the building – with better health for all!

Water and the natural environment

As described above, our technology is playing an increasingly significant role in reducing the amount of climate change-causing greenhouse gases, but we go even further in environmental care.

Water pollution has many causes and contributors – sewage effluent, farm and industrial pollution, plus rising population, higher living standards plus increased consumption, and hydrological change in rivers and lakes from water abstraction for hydropower and cooling. The water industry accounted for almost a quarter of the serious water incidents in England and Wales in 2006.

It’s a complex problem – but reducing water use in buildings through environmental innovations such as Propelair lessens the volume of sewage that water companies must treat or release, cutting the number and volume of discharges into rivers and coastal waters.

“Basically by reducing the amount of water we send down our drains every day, we can also cut down on the total amount of wastewater that we have to treat, and we can support properly functioning waste treatment systems,” according to a US environmental group.

By employing Propelair technology in out-of-home buildings, a growing number of businesses, government bodies and institutions in the UK and internationally are saving water, reducing carbon emissions, improving hygiene and helping save the planet, one flush at a time.

The UK’s looming water supply challenge

UK toilets average nine litres per flush, accounting for 43-48% of commercial water use in buildings. Historically, the issue is worsened by repeat flushing – a practice obviated by Propelair’s efficiency. Less water pumped into a building means proportionately less water out.

We believe the widespread adoption of innovative water-saving technologies such as Propelair’s by governments, businesses and other out-of-home buildings such as universities – anywhere with a high footfall – would have a huge effect on the availability of clean drinking water.

Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, said in March 2019: “Climate change … means that in the UK we will have hotter and drier summers… That will mean more water shortages: by 2050, the amount of water available could be reduced by 10-15%, with some rivers seeing 50%-80% less water during the summer months. It will mean higher drought risk, caused by the hotter drier summers and less predictable rainfall…

“Something else is happening alongside climate change: growth. The population of the UK is expected to rise from 67m now to 75 million in 2050. All those extra people need houses and roads and energy and food and places to work, all of which will require more water…

“The fact is that we won’t have long term water security unless all of us change our behaviour. We all need to use less water and use it more efficiently. Part of this is about technological innovation, to develop machines and processes that use less water better.”

We at Propelair agree!