Grand Rapids, MI — During a renovation at the David D. Hunting YMCA in Grand Rapids, MI, operators recently replaced three of the facility's water-free urinals in the restroom of the men's locker room with a more traditional model.
The change was needed because the Y was spending $3,300 a year to replace odor-eliminating filters on the urinals, Y Director of Operations Dwayne Moore told The Grand Rapids Press.
According to the water-free urinal manufacturer, the high cost for the filters occurred because the urinals were not maintained per manufacturer's specifications, which meant the filters had to be changed more frequently than required if proper maintenance was done.
The Y still uses water-free urinals in other parts of the facility.
In 2006, the David D. Hunting Y was the first Y in the world to receive certification from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
Other renovations at the Y include a new parking lot, an interior paint job, resurfaced floors, improved saunas and new benches in locker rooms, Moore told the newspaper.