Water efficiency in business is hugely important for several reasons. Since 2021, in light of the public consultation on water usage, the UK government has encouraged businesses and households to save water by balancing water supplies with growing national water demands.
With hotter summers, fresh groundwater levels have reduced, and water shortages have become more commonplace.
When we consider that the production of one pair of jeans uses around 7600 litres or a 2-litre bottle of carbonated soda uses around 1240 litres of water, we can see why.
Outwith the manufacturing industry, water usage is still hugely impactful in other sectors such as hospitality, with the average restaurant using around 26,000 litres of water for a single day of service. The agriculture industry is responsible for the largest consumption out of any industry, with 70% of the world’s freshwater resources being used for food and drink production.
In this article, no matter what kind of business you run, we’ll give you tips on slashing your water usage.
Table of Contents
Why Save Water?
Saving water is vital for various reasons. The primary reason to save water is to protect the environment. Continually using freshwater sources drains groundwater levels and can seriously impact all kinds of ecosystems.
Aside from the environmental impact, saving money is another reason to consider reducing water usage as much as possible. Water costs money, so slashing your usage as much as possible will help you save capital.
How To Save Water
Following these tips is a great way to ensure you are only using the water you need and not being needlessly wasteful:
Tip #1: Install A Water Meter
If your business hasn’t already installed a water meter, this is a simple and effective way to monitor how much water you’re using. A water meter can help you stay on top of how much you use daily and allow your water supplier to provide you with detailed water usage statistics.
These statistics can help you identify potential leakage and form the basis of a detailed water audit.
Tip #2: Have Frequent Water Audits
A water audit is an excellent way to assess your water usage situation for your operation fully. Water audits are performed by experienced water industry experts and will help you identify key ways to reduce water usage.
A standard water audit will:
- Begin with data collection. This phase is vital to gather all the information the experts need about your average water usage.
- Involve a site inspection. This will be a detailed inspection of everything that uses water on your business property – from pipes to appliances.
- A detailed analysis. This will collate all the information gathered from data collection and the inspection to analyse any findings.
- A final report. This will outline their findings and recommendations to help reduce water usage.
Having a water audit once or twice a year is advised.
Tip #3: Have Frequent Leak Sweeps
A leak can happen at any time for various reasons. Perhaps a washer has degraded and is causing a pipe to leak, or a pipe has frozen over during cold water to cause a crack.
Arranging for a plumber or a water industry expert to frequently assess your site for leaks is a great way to stay on top of any leaks – no matter how small.
Leaks have huge potential to be damaging to your property, business operations, and finances. An unchecked leak, even a small one, will not only waste water (and therefore money) but can also lead to damage such as mould growth or structure weakening.
Electrical wiring is also at risk when a leak goes unchecked and poses a significant fire risk.
Arranging frequent leak sweeps by professionals is a simple and effective way to combat this issue.
Tip #4: Install Water Saving Equipment
Every workplace will have a bathroom, and some will have a shower available to employees. Being proactive and installing water-saving faucets or flow restrictors on taps and shower heads can help you reduce water usage.
The hospitality sector can benefit hugely from this, especially in kitchens.
If your workplace uses dishwashers or washing machines, then ensuring you invest in water-efficient models will also help you cut down significantly.
Tip #5: Train Staff
One of the most proactive steps you can take to save water is to train all your staff on water-saving measures to ensure they are up to speed. Staff will, after all, account for all (or, at the very least, the majority) of water usage in a business.
Putting up friendly posters as a gentle reminder is also a great way to keep water efficiency on the mind of your employees.
To Conclude
Saving water is hugely important for your business, saving money and local and national ecosystems.
Help prevent rapid climate change and save money while you do so – a win-win!
