Reducing water consumption in your office will help the environment and help lower costs as most businesses are metered.
In the office
To keep you supplied with clean, fresh water, 24 hours a day, water companies take water from rivers and groundwater aquifers that feed rivers and lakes.
To conserve supplies we can all help by reducing how much we use.
What can you do to help save water in your business?
These actions are important at all times, but even more so during a drought:
- Ensure taps are turned off. If you spot a leaking tap, tell building maintenance staff.
- Have your windows cleaned less often, as long as it doesn't affect health and safety.
- Clean cars less often. Just keep headlights, mirrors and windows clean for safety reasons.
- Encourage employees to use water wisely at work and home.
- Ask your water company to help identify where you can save water.
You don't need to be in a drought to benefit from saving water
Follow these water-saving tips from Envirowise:
- Don't think of water use and disposal charges as fixed costs. Many companies can save up to half their water costs by implementing simple and inexpensive ways of minimising water use.
- Always monitor how much water you use and compare use on a regular basis: Manufacturing companies should compare water use against production output; service sector companies should compare use against staff numbers.
- Appoint a water monitor to walk round the site regularly to identify ways of minimising water use.
- Make sure staff are fully aware of the importance of water minimisation.
- Ensure pipes are well insulated against frost.
- Check out opportunities for re-using process water.
- Look at alternative water sources such as using rainwater and greywater.
- Keep water-using equipment well maintained and check it periodically for leaks.
- Encourage staff to report leaks and ensure any leaks are repaired quickly.
- When buying new equipment, take water efficiency into account. Water-efficient equipment may be more expensive, but the water savings it brings may mean it has a short payback period.
- Fit water-minimising controls where possible, eg push taps, flow regulator/restrictors, cistern displacement devices, spray nozzles on hoses, low-flush toilets and sensor-activated urinal flushing.
