A Guide to Bathroom Facilities

A Guide to

BATHROOM FACILITIES

It may not be the most glamorous of subjects, but nevertheless, it is an important one. Every glamping site out there needs to have bathroom facilities available for guests, but this is sometimes easier said than done. There are a number of considerations to be made when looking for the right company to go with such as whether your site is on or off the grid along with whether you want each unit to have a private bathroom or a block that is shared with the entire site. Lacklustre bathroom facilities can have a huge impact on the experience a guest has at your site, so it is important to do the research and find the solution that is right for you

WOOWOO WATERLESS TOILETS

waterlesstoilets.co.uk

Who are WooWoo Waterless Toilets? WooWoo has been around for over 10 years, founded on the belief that our current ways of handling human ‘waste’ can create more problems than they solve in the long term.

What do we offer? Our solutions range from simple DIY products that people can build into an existing structure, to modern compost toilets that look like regular flushing toilets, through to high capacity, low maintenance toilets suitable for municipal use. Most importantly, we offer excellent pre-sales advice to ensure people are getting the most appropriate solution for their situation. Do your facilities require a mains water connection or septic tank installation? All our solutions share a common theme - no mains water or sewage connections are needed, so they’re ideal for use in remote locations. Many don’t need electricity either, so we really do offer completely off-grid solutions! Smaller, domestic-style units can be easily installed in an existing structure (including mobile dwellings such as shepherds huts and caravans) and our municipal solutions come complete with the building, including disabledaccessible units.

Maintenance The maintenance varies depending on the particular product. The domestic-style waterless toilets, such as the Separett Villa, are typically suitable for use by 2-4 people and would require emptying on your guest changeover day. Our higher capacity systems such as the WooWoo GT or Kazuba toilets require much less attention and can go for 3-6 months between maintenance (depending on use).

Delivery and Installation Some products can be installed by the customer themselves and we typically carry these in stock in our UK warehouse for quick delivery. The larger solutions are made to order and need manufacturing and installation times factored in, but are usually around 8 weeks.

Lifespan and Warranties This will vary depending on the product. Some of the manufacturers we work with offer a five-year warranty and we know from conversations with old customers, that they are being used twenty years on

SANIFLO

saniflo.co.uk

Can you tell us a little about the background of your business? Saniflo is one of the most widely recognised brands in the UK plumbing market thanks to its range of pumps, lifting stations and macerators that facilitate the installation of WC and washing facilities when conventional drainage is not possible, too difficult or too costly. The range of products includes pumps that can be sited indoor or outdoor and will discharge waste from small or large buildings, including multiple small buildings. Whether it’s Glamping, Camping or Caravanning a Saniflo can help sort the waste for bathrooms, kitchen and laundry facilities – whatever the structure.

As well as pumping stations, Saniflo manufactures the popular range of Kinedo self-contained shower cubicles. Consisting of shower trays, glass internal and external panels and door, most models include the showerhead and valve as standard. Quick and simple to install these cubicles provide a watertight environment with no need for grout and silicone and are easy to maintain.

Saniflo’s reputation for after sales service is enhanced by its unique network of 100 service engineers who cover the whole of the UK.

Do your facilities require a mains water connection or septic tank installation? A Saniflo pump or lifting station requires connection to both water and electricity. Neither have to be mains connected. Electricity can be supplied by a generator or other suitable power source, whilst water can be supplied via a borehole if necessary. In most cases, waste water is discharged via small pipes to mains drains or a sewer. But the pumps can equally connect to water treatment plants and septic tanks or other storage means that will require regular emptying.

Kinedo shower cubicles just require a hot and cold-water supply and provision for the waste drain.

Are your facilities suitable for off-grid sites? As long as an off-grid site has power and water and suitable storage for waste, then a Saniflo can provide a pumping solution. Our new range of Zehnder industrial lifting stations use robust German pump technology.

What maintenance is required to keep your facilities in top condition? Saniflo pumps are designed with ease of access in mind. Regular cleaning and servicing is recommended and Saniflo has its own recommended descaling liquid specifically created for use with Saniflo units. The cleanser is a concentrated solution for optimum cleaning power and trouble-free maintenance and prolongs the unit’s life and efficiency.

How long does it take to create and deliver your facilities? Saniflo UK has exceptional stock levels of all products in the range and has access to rapid deliveries from the manufacturing plants in France and Germany. Products are installed by plumbers, builders and engineers. Length of installation depends on the complexity of the project.

What is the lifespan of your facilities and do you offer any warranties? Larger commercial pumps have a two-year warranty, whilst some smaller domestic pumps have a fiveyear warranty. Saniflo products are manufactured using only the best quality componentry and designed to last. Many customers have Saniflos that are working even after 20 years of service.

SANIFOS MAKES GLAMPING POSSIBLE

Saniflo UK continues to provide drainage solutions to unusual and remote places guaranteeing business continuity for some of the country’s prominent staycation attractions locations.

Galley Hill Farm situated on the edge of the rolling Lincolnshire Wolds, an ‘Area of Natural Beauty’, is a farm with a successful ‘Pick Your Own’ business and a caravan site with 10 pitches in a stunning woodland grove adjacent to the family farmhouse.

The busy caravan site encompasses a block with shower and WCs and has recently expanded from 5 to 10 pitches plus two sizeable glamping pods complete with bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and living room. Waste from the house and the toilet block is discharged to a septic tank that was recently upgraded due to new regulations that came into effect in 2020. A separate chemical disposal point was also installed for the caravan site.

The proposed space on site for the glamping pods did not have sufficient gravity fall to reach the septic tank, which was 70m away, and thus required a pump to discharge the waste. A Sanifos 610 underground lifting station provided the perfect solution; with sufficient capacity to accommodate more units in future.

A clearing behind the farmhouse was prepared which included concrete bases for the pods, a large pit for siting the Sanifos and trench for the main connection pipe. A small shed was erected to house the electrics and alarm for the Sanifos. The pods were dropped into place and the waste connections installed from the borehole water supply, which has its own water filtration system.

The Sanifos 610 has a 612-litre tank and is offered with a choice of one or two pumps. Galley Hill Farm specified the twin pump model to ensure continuity of service. The pumps work alternately to ensure even wear of the motors, but in the event of one pump failing, the other will activate to ensure it keeps working. It is supplied with a smart control box which is an interactive, intelligent station monitoring system and integrates an alarm for early warning of any problems.