As we enter 2026, facility managers are under growing pressure to reduce operating costs, cut water usage, and keep public washrooms running smoothly. Yet one of the biggest cost centres in commercial buildings often goes unnoticed: the washroom.
Traditional toilets may appear simple, but outdated or inefficient models quietly drains budgets through excessive water use, avoidable repairs, and unnecessary downtime. The good news? These hidden costs can be dramatically reduced with modern technologies.
Here are 5 hidden costs that could be impacting your facilities, and practical solutions to help you take control.
Excessive Water Consumption & High Utility Bills
A single conventional toilet can use 6–9 litres of water per flush. Multiply that by hundreds of daily uses and the financial impact becomes significant, especially in high-footfall environments such as offices, hospitals, shopping centres, and airports. The hidden cost is that water bills skyrocket because traditional flush systems consume far more water than necessary.
The Solution: Switch to high-efficiency toilets designed to use a fraction of this volume. Propelair, for example, uses as little as 1.35–1.5 litres per flush, helping organisations cut water and sewage bills by up to 60%. For older buildings, even replacing a fraction of your fleet can lead to measurable savings within the first year.
Frequent Blockages and Emergency Callouts
Outdated toilets and urinals often cause partial or full blockages, especially in high-use washrooms. Each blockage increases labour costs and disrupts the user experience. Paying for plumbing call-outs, unplanned repairs, and lost operational time is a definite hidden cost! Blocked toilets can also negatively impact customer satisfaction and staff productivity.
The Solution: Invest in toilets systems that actively minimise blockages through improved design or built-in fault detection. Propelair sanitary ware are fitted with smart block detection sensors, an industry first! The sensors can identify whether the issue is a pan or drain blockage and trigger a maintenance call before it escalates. For pan blockages, technologies like Propelair’s dry-flush feature help teams clear blockages quickly, through a series of latch lifts, often without a plumber and without facing lengthy downtimes.
Downtime and Reduced Washroom Availability
When a toilet is out of order due to leaks, malfunctions, or blockages, the entire washroom becomes strained. Fewer available cubicles result in queues and inconvenience – reducing customer satisfaction – and potentially creating an unpleasant washroom experience, as in the case of odour caused by blockages.
The Solution: Implement data-driven, proactive maintenance schedules, driven by IoT connectivity, and opt for toilets that is supported by a professional in-house maintenance service plan that ensures reduced downtime, and structured preventative care rather than reactive fixes.
Rising Repair Costs vs. Replacement
Older toilets often require frequent replacement of parts. Over time, these recurring repairs, together with the labour cost, amounts to more than upgrading the system entirely.
The Solution: Replace aging units with durable, low-maintenance systems built for longevity, such as Propelair OneThreeFive. Products with simplified internal components, robust materials, and long warranties significantly reduce lifecycle costs. Access to wholesale repair parts through a trusted provider also brings down long-term maintenance expenditure.
Get access competitive servicing rates and wholesale repair parts: let us phone you
Lack of Data Visibility through IoT tracking
You can’t improve what you can’t measure. Most traditional toilets offer zero data on usage patterns, water consumption, or maintenance needs, leaving facilities blind to inefficiencies. Inefficient resource planning, higher operational costs, and missed opportunities to optimise performance is a sure hidden cost!
The Solution: Adopt connected washroom solutions that provide real-time insights into consumption, performance, and maintenance alerts. With dashboards that track water savings and identify faults instantly, facilities can make informed decisions that reduce both cost and environmental footprint. Propelair delivers high-efficiency washroom solutions for commercial, public spaces through its Connect app that gives organisations real-time visibility and control, enabling smarter resource use, stronger sustainability outcomes and measurable cost savings.
Start 2026 with Washrooms That Work Smarter, Not Harder
Public washrooms don’t need to be complicated or expensive to run. With the right technology and smarter maintenance strategies, facilities can reduce water usage, lower bills, eliminate unnecessary repairs, and create a better experience for users.
Whether you manage a single building or a multi-site portfolio, upgrading inefficient flush systems is one of the simplest ways to deliver instant savings and stronger sustainability outcomes.
If you’re ready to explore water-efficient toilets, proactive maintenance plans, or connected washroom insights, the Propelair team is ready to help.