- You are here:
- Home »
- Business »
- How To Reduce Water Use At Your Business Premises
How To Reduce Water Use At Your Business Premises
Clean, safe water is a finite resource. The growing global population and environmental pollution are putting more and more strain on the amount of water that is available. It is estimated that by the year 2050, the worldwide demand for water supply will have risen by 30%. This can be seen from the ever-rising costs of clean water.
There is a global effort to conserve more water, turn to more sustainable sources like creating a water supply with water bore drillers, and limit water usage. As a business, there is a lot you can do to work on water conservation, which is kinder to the planet can lower your water bill at the same. Here are five ways to do it.
Monitor Your Water Consumption
Carefully monitoring your water usage is the first step to saving money on your water bill. Using a smart meter or a water billing system is the best way to keep a close eye on your water usage. Knowing how much water you are using and where can help you to find some areas where you could potentially save on how much water you’re using. It can also help you to quickly spot and repair leaks, and save a lot of water. Keep a close eye on your water bill on an ongoing basis so you can spot any changes to the pattern of your water consumption.
Do A Water Maintenance Check
As is the case with energy efficiency, equipment that is old or has been left unmaintained can mean that you use a lot more water. Work with facilities maintenance specialists to determine a reasonable preventative maintenance schedule. Get some advice on the water-saving equipment that is available on the market to help you save more water. This could also include adding some more effective insulation.
Install Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures
Improve how efficient your plumbing system is by changing your plumbing fixtures to low-flow outlets. Install all low-flow toilets, showerheads, and faucets with aerators to help you to reduce water wastage without having to think too much about it in a high-pressure system. A regular toilet, for example, uses around six gallons of water every time your flush it, whereas a more efficient option will use less than two gallons of water when you flush. In a busy office, the saving will really add up over time, helping you to use a lot less water.
Don’t Run Appliances On Half Loads
If you have appliances on site that use water, like dishwashers in the office kitchen, or washing machines for things like uniforms, make sure you don’t run them on half-loads. These appliances use a lot of water, so don’t waste it on half-loads. Wait until you have a full load before the appliances get switched on. It can help to add signs to the appliances to remind people to wait before using them.
Identify and Fix Leaks
A faucet that has been left to drip can lose up to 20 gallons of water every day. This is a lot of water. Check your smart meters on a regular basis so you can learn what your business’s normal water consumption is. If you know what’s normal, you will be better able to spot any changes quickly. If you do notice any irregular or excessive water usage, then you could have a leak somewhere. Fix and leaks as soon as you find that you have one. A leak left unrepaired will waste a lot of water.
Get Everyone On Board
Every member of your staff, including any visitors who come to your premises, will have to share an interest in making the effort to conserve water. Make you educate every single one of your employees about the everyday habits you encourage that will reduce water consumption, the efforts you’re making as a business to conserve water, and why it’s so important to do. Encourage the same kind of behaviour from your customers or visitors who come to your premises by displaying posters and signs with the practices you want them to carry out and reminding them to be mindful of how much water they use.
Try to get your employees to feel engaged with your water-saving efforts. Ask them for suggestions for other efforts you could make. You could also offer rewards to teams who are able to save the most water or reduce the most amount of water used. Every member of your team should be engaged with your efforts to save water. Offer training, guides, and guidance on what everyone needs to do to make this happen.
Use Mulch In Landscaping
Maintaining a lush green landscape uses a lot of water, especially in naturally drier, hotter climates. Watering the plants, especially during the heat of the summer months, is a daily routine that needs a lot of water to carry out. However, you could reduce the amount of watering that you need to do and the amount of water you need to use to keep your lawns and plants hydrated, by covering the ground in mulch. The mulch prevents the soil from losing as much water, which will keep the ground moist for much longer. This means you can water less.
Harvest Rainwater
Carry out a survey of your whole building, and find out whether it is possible to harvest some rainwater to reuse elsewhere. In most urban areas, most buildings have not been designed to collect rainwater in any way, but with a few simple modifications, they can be adapted to do so. Speak to the relevant authorities about how you could implement a rainwater collection and storage facility on your premises. If you can save rainwater, this can be used to water your landscaping, which can save you a massive amount of water, especially if you’re already using mulch.
It’s well worth putting in the effort to use less water at your business, both for money-saving reasons and for running your business in a greener way. Water conservation is worth the effort.
