Ordinary mysteries

[Orestes Munn]

This is something, which has confounded me for a couple of years and today I finally took a picture to assure myself I'm not imagining it. My wife tells me that the ladies' rooms have similar signage.

From Selection.jpg

I have two questions about this:

1. Would the fact that this urinal flushes with rain water really discourage a thirsty and habitual toilet drinker from going for it?

2. This system is in a US military facility under a tri-service joint command. Is toilet drinking a tradition in one of the branches I'm less familiar with?

Anyone else have something they'd like some light shed on?

[Ish]

Maybe they don't want you to accidentally ingest some while you are washing your hair.

[Orestes Munn]

Wow, that didn't take long! Thanks, Ish.

[BeauV]

OM,

I think that's so that new recruits who are having their heads stuffed into the urinal by the veterans will remember not to open their mouths.

BV

[Orestes Munn]

Oh, wait. That's good, too.

[Slick470]

Thanks for posting that OM... I'm going to have to pass that on to the plumbing engineers in my office.

[SloopJonB]

Just as long as they don't eat the big white mint.

[Cherie320]

I suspect it's somehow related to traditions learned in law School.

[Orestes Munn]

Warum haben Ostfriesen einen platten Hinterkopf? – Weil ihnen beim Wassertrinken immer der Klodeckel auf den Kopf fällt.
Why are the backs of the Ostfriesen's heads flat? The toilet lid keeps falling while they're drinking.

I don't think there are many JAG officers or Ostfriesen around Bldg. 17, but who knows? I guess all it takes is one getting sick from that rain water.

[Soñadora]

wait, your wife said they have similar messages above the urinals in the women's bathroom?

[Ish]

wait, your wife said they have similar messages above the urinals in the women's bathroom?

If a woman with a gun wants to stand to pee, I'm not going to argue.

[Orestes Munn]

wait, your wife said they have similar messages above the urinals in the women's bathroom?

It's only fair, right? There's sit-down units on the men's.

[Soñadora]

wait, your wife said they have similar messages above the urinals in the women's bathroom?

If a woman with a gun wants to stand to pee, I'm not going to argue.

yeah, I guess you're right.

[Olaf Hart]

We live on rainwater, its the standard issue system in the bush in Oz (assuming it actually rains).

No filters or anything, just metal roofs, downpipes drain to tanks, and pressure pumps.
Maybe an odd leaf catcher or something.

The possums occasionally piss on the roof, I am a Public Health Physician in my other life, and there is very little evidence of any infectious disease issues.
Certainly lower risk of infectious disease than town water systems.
I can use my tap water as battery water if I have plastic piping.

What is the problem with rain water?

BTW, women dont carry guns around here .....

[Slick470]

Olaf, most of it comes down to liability, but in practice, nothing in the rainwater collection system is listed for use in potable water systems except the copper piping that actually supplies the urinal. From the roofing materials, the black steel roof drains and rain leaders, to the plastic holding tank. The biggest offenders are the roofing materials and plastic holding tanks. Both are most likely made of materials that will leach chemicals into the water. Plus the urban enviroment isn't the best natural filter for rainwater runoff.

The irony of it is, the water that would normally be going to that urinal is supplied by the same piping system that supplies the sinks and drinking fountains in the building. Meaning that the toilet water would normally be potable. A large portion of the world has drinking water that we Americans wouldn't touch, but we'll take a shit in water that they would love to have.

The rainwater collection system in use in OM's office is one of the technologies that the "green building" industry that the US has listed as a way to conserve resources. In practice they save water, but they require separate piping systems and due to their dedicated pumping systems, they increase energy usage in the building. So, by themselves I'm not sure if they actually save energy, but when used in conjuction with other energy saving methods, the idea is that you end up with a building that is better for the enviroment as a whole.