Our Propag8™ story from humble beginnings

Propag8™ has become a recognized leader in waterless urinal systems and maintenance.  

The Propag8™ Waterless Urinal Maintenance System had its humble beginnings on a rural property in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia, in the early 2000s.

Operating a Red Angus Beef Stud the writer’s curiosity was raised by the land’s ability to cope with copious quantities of cattle urine and faeces discharged by the beasts in the paddock, without creating mal-odours.

In fact the greening and new growth of grass in the paddocks where cattle urine had been discharged, during a prolonged period of drought, was considered as a heaven sent blessing.

Like many new innovations, the scope of the invention was not immediately obvious.

Clearly early research had shown that specific strains of bacteria had the ability to break down urine and faeces without the prior experiences of washroom mal-odours.   

But, this was at a time when there were less environmental concerns over the affect that property maintenance was having on the global environment.

 So although it doesn't’t make a great deal of sense today why an opportunity to save potable water would not be embraced, this oversight has been remedied.  
Then, it was even difficult to convince the State or Federal Government, let alone Property Owners of the need to conserve portable water.

It was soon to be realized that inventing a bio-tech system that could conserve billions of litres of potable water, simply by turning off the flushing water systems in urinals, was considered by some building engineers as totally impractical and no amount of trial evidence was going to convince them otherwise.

So the road ahead and the development of the Propag8™ waterless urinal system was always to be more perspiration than inspiration.
 Convincing building engineers, brought up and trained in an age, when flushing urinal with copious quantities of potable water, was the norm, or expecting experienced engineers to ignore their training and rely on a urinal tablet containing an active bacteria, was always going to be a challenge.

There is little to be gained by looking back in time, other than to note, that whilst only minimal interest was shown by property owners to save potable water, at that time, there was now environmental pressure groups and property tenants holding building owners to account for their lack of action.  There is now a transformation happening in Men’s washrooms and a slow begrudging acceptance of waterless urinals.

When I think about the difficulties I personally experienced convincing the Australian Federal Department of Health and Ageing to place a bacterially active tablet into their urinal bowels and cutting off water flushing.  I still see the acceptance by the Federal Health Department’s of the Propag8™ as one of my major successes.  

 There were many other questions and issues that The Federal Health Department would need answering prior to signing off on the introduction of Propag8 before its installation would finally be condoned. Investigation by the Commonwealth Laboratories of Propag8’s chosen bacillus spores, long and short term health risk analysis etc., all were to come under the Federal Health Department’s microscope.  

 I sometimes wonder if the pendulum has not already swung back too far, with building engineers readily accepting other biological products, claiming to use friendly bacteria, without even the most basic of investigation as to the strain of bacteria employed.  Perhaps it would be more prudent before purchasing products containing bacteria to request product assurances and efficacy statements regarding the strain of bacteria used, prior to exposing the public to potential health risks.

This was brought home to me quite recently, when analysing a competitor’s urinal cube. A urinal cube that hardly dissolved, over a period of one week, when completely submerged  in water ( thus preventing the cube from releasing bacterial spores) and a cube containing a contaminated bacillus strain with  possible contingent health risks.

The maintenance of men’s waterless urinals both biologically or with specially designed urinal fitments has and will continue to throw up challenges for both building and hydraulic engineers, and naturally those organizations providing regular maintenance services. 
You would be naive to think that problematic issues will be resolved overnight, but, with research and careful consideration and changes in plumbing design, issues will eventually be eliminated or minimized to an acceptable level.

Propag8™ is a recognized leader in waterless urinal/maintenance.   The recipient of many environmental awards committed to service and sustainable environmental practices. Nothing is ever left to chance; every stage of Propag8’s production is monitored and checked. Sold with a guarantee of success or a money back guarantee!

 “The Global Water Crisis”      
Every long walk, must start with the first step, in that context, waterless urinals have made a small contribution to minimize the waste of potable water used to flush urinals. Rapidly increasing world population and the demands placed on arable land to increase food products, increasing agriculture and chemical contamination is further impacting limited global potable water resources.

The question is posed “What can I do to reduce potable water consumption?”

In a small way we can all make a difference, in our homes, or at work, we can ask the question of our colleagues, Managers, Directors or Departmental Heads.  Why are we not installing a waterless urinal system?? 

What could be easier than converting your water guzzling urinals to waterless fitments or just make a call to Propag8’s Technical Help Line (reverse charges from anywhere in the World) and ask for our assistance. 

It has been suggested future World Wars will be fought over potable water. The time to act decisively in regard to this global crisis may already be too late, but hopefully the crisis has been recognized by World Governments and solutions will be forthcoming.

The consequences for the planet and its population in a world without sufficient potable water are indeed severe.

As a Father and Grandfather I am committed to playing my part to leave a greener and more sustainable environment for those that inherit the planet after my passing.

I believe the Propag8™ waterless urinal maintenance system has provided one such option to property owners and property managers a guaranteed, historically proven system to conserve potable water in men’s urinals.

 John Hayes
Managing Director
Propag8 Pty Limited.
August 2011.

Mission Statement

The directors and staff at Propag8™ strive to exceed customer expectations of the services that we offer. We continually and tirelessly review our operational and business practices and through honest endeavour coupled with research and development employ new technologies to direct our business in an environmental sustainable way.