SANTA BARBARA, — The University of California at Santa Barbara will save thousands of gallons of water by switching to waterless urinal system.

The university chose waterless urinals that prevents sewer gases from being released, while users are touchless.

The university have begun installing the urinals in its Donal Bren School of Environmental Science and Management building. With the job still incomplete, sewage costs have dropped and total water usage has been reduced by two-thirds.

Once the retrofit is complete, the urinals are forecast to save the school $141 per urinal and 40,000 gallons of water annually. The school will see a return on its investment within three years.

The school could now decided to require the systems be installed in all new campus buildings.