Reducing water consumption is a smart move for any business, as doing so can seriously help your bottom line. Water usage overall has more than doubled in the last thirty years, and in the commercial sector, this number is 50% higher. At the same time, water has become more expensive, and water rates are increasing every year by up to 25%.
Using less water is also good for the planet, as water has become a precious resource we want to conserve. Most of us are taught to turn the faucet off when we brush our teeth to reduce waste, and applying this mentality on a commercial level has the power to make an even bigger difference.
A lot of water is wasted by businesses due to inefficient equipment, leaks, human error, and more. Implementing water-efficient practices can help eliminate this waste and even decrease energy/water costs by 10-15%.
These practices can help most industries, but they can have an especially high impact in locations with commercial kitchens like quick-service restaurants and other dining locations. These facilities have high water consumption, mostly from the kitchen and dishwashing (52%) and bathrooms (31%).
Updating your facility to include water conservation technologies and efficiency updates can make a huge difference in driving down water and energy costs. Here are some of the best water efficiency strategies you can implement at your business.
1. Hand sink aerators: Faucet aerators add air bubbles to the water flow on hand sinks in bathrooms and kitchens. This helps conserve water by reducing the faucet flow, which is a smart practice as a lot of water is wasted at hand sinks when faucets are left running as people lather and clean their hands.
2. Higher-efficiency fixtures toilets and urinals: High levels of water are also wasted in bathrooms. Updating toilets and urinals can have a huge impact, as low-flow, high-efficiency models remove waste with less water required per flush. They achieve this with technology that can lower the volume of water needed by increasing the velocity of the water used.
3. Hands-free faucets: Hands-free faucets help conserve water by ensuring that water only runs while people are using the sink. That means they won’t accidentally be left running unattended for long periods of time, or leaking for hours, adding up to high volumes of waste. Being hands-free also helps the health of your facility, as people don’t touch faucets with dirty hands, which can spread germs.
4. Pressure-compensating controlled dishwashers: Similar to high-efficiency toilets, modern dishwasher technology can increase the pressure of the water for a more powerful spray that ensures dishes are cleaned to a high standard while using less water overall.
5. Water metering optimization: Water meters are the tools that utilities companies use to measure how much water a building uses to know how much to charge on bills. These meters measure the volume of water that passes through the pipes, but this can create a problem: bubbles in the water are common, meaning a percentage of the volume of water you are charged for is air. New water meter optimization technology can reduce the amount of air, so that your business water bills actually reflect the amount of water you use.These are some of the most impactful ways to reduce your utility bills and lower your water consumption. However, a lot of businesses aren’t prioritizing water conservation because the upfront costs of equipment and installation are too high, and they don’t have the upfront capital to spare. Luckily, though, cost doesn’t have to be a barrier to savings.
When you partner with Budderfly, you can get water conservation technologies with no upfront costs (alongside our suite energy-saving technologies, renewables like solar, and more). Our fully outsourced model means we take care of everything from purchasing equipment and installation to maintenance and monitoring for leaks and other issues that arise. We work with more than 6,000 locations in every state across the U.S. to reduce waste and boost sustainability.
READ: Firsthand Reviews: 10 Budderfly Customers Talk About Their Experience
Want to learn more about partnering with Budderfly? Contact us today.