New Urinal Designs Could Stop 265,000 Gallons of Splash Urine a Day

By Urine the News Staff | Published April 11, 2025

If you’ve ever walked into a public restroom and wondered, “What on Earth died in here?”, science might finally have your back—and your ankles. According to a new report by Live Science, researchers have developed two innovative urinal designs that could dramatically reduce urine splashback in public restrooms across the United States.

The culprits? Traditional urinals—unchanged since the 1800s—which scientists say are responsible for nearly 264,000 gallons of urine splatter daily. That’s not just gross; it’s also a hygiene nightmare, contributing to bad smells, bacterial spread, and high water and labor costs for cleaning crews.

To combat the pee problem, researchers created a fluid dynamics model and even developed a “pseudo-urethra nozzle” to simulate human urination in lab conditions. Their experiments showed that when urine hits a surface at less than a 30-degree angle, splashback is reduced to just 1.4% of what’s typically seen with current urinals.

The result? Two new urinal prototypes: the Cornucopia and the Nautilus. While the Cornucopia performed best in splash tests, the Nautilus came out on top overall due to its accessible design, ease of cleaning, and splash-friendly geometry. Bonus: It looks like it could double as avant-garde furniture.

If these designs were implemented nationwide—replacing all 56 million urinals in U.S. restrooms—the researchers estimate they could prevent over 1 million liters of urine from hitting the floor every single day. That could also save up to 2.2 million gallons of fresh water daily currently wasted on cleanup.

From cutting-edge nozzle simulations to splash-optimized porcelain, this is one bathroom breakthrough we can all stand behind—assuming we aim properly.

For the full report, check out the original article on Live Science.