Helping your business save water
How to make sure your business is using every drop carefully – saving water and money.
Whether you’re a large office or a small studio, a café or a pub, a warehouse or a factory – it’s almost certain that your business uses water in one way or another.
And it's likely that water and utility bills contribute a lot to your overheads.
Making your business water efficient – the benefits
By making your business water efficient you'll be demonstrating your environmental credentials, and contributing to your Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) guidelines.
And, by reducing your carbon footprint and preserving this precious resource, you’ll also save money – directly by reducing your water bills, and indirectly through heating less water.
What your business can do
From small changes, like reminding your staff to switch off taps and use dual flushes correctly, to completely refitting your facilities with the latest water efficient fixtures and appliances, here's our top tips to save as much water as possible.
Make water efficiency part of your environmental policy
Water efficient environmental policy
- Create a water usage policy
- Appoint a water saving ambassador/officer
- Conduct a water use review, identify improvements and potential for savings
- Set targets and deadlines for improvements
- Research water saving technology specific to your industry (e.g. agriculture, food production, printing etc.)
Invest in water saving technology
Upgrade and use less water
- Dual flush, efficient cisterns (can be retro fitted)
- Low flow tap and shower valves (can be retro fitted)
- Upgrade to low-flow toilets and waterless urinals (staff and customer facilities)
- Automatic or push, self-closing taps (staff and customer facilities)
- Water efficient appliances (domestic or commercial dishwashers and washing machines)
- Water butt/rainwater harvesting if you have a garden
Tips for your staff and customers
Create a water saving culture
- Turn off taps after use
- Use correct dual flush button
- Washing up – use a bowl, don’t wash under a running tap
- Dishwasher/washing machine – always wash a full load
- 4-minute time limit for work showers
- Washing work vehicles – use a bucket not a hose. If using a hose make sure it’s switched off when not in use
Water saving awareness
Help your team to make changes
- Literature/internal communications encouraging water saving behaviour
- Awareness signage and stickers e.g. turn off taps/use correct flush/washing up
- Education programme/course – communicate your water saving policy and tips
- Encourage water saving at home
Detect and reduce leaks
Tackle the drips
- Regularly check your system for leaks
- Check meter out of hours to ensure no usage/leaks
- Quickly fix small leaks such as dripping taps/leaky loos
- Making sure you know where your supply pipes and shut off valves are
- Insulate pipes and have a cold weather plan to protect from freezing and splitting
Water efficient environmental policy
- Create a water usage policy
- Appoint a water saving ambassador/officer
- Conduct a water use review, identify improvements and potential for savings
- Set targets and deadlines for improvements
- Research water saving technology specific to your industry (e.g. agriculture, food production, printing etc.)
Upgrade and use less water
- Dual flush, efficient cisterns (can be retro fitted)
- Low flow tap and shower valves (can be retro fitted)
- Upgrade to low-flow toilets and waterless urinals (staff and customer facilities)
- Automatic or push, self-closing taps (staff and customer facilities)
- Water efficient appliances (domestic or commercial dishwashers and washing machines)
- Water butt/rainwater harvesting if you have a garden
Create a water saving culture
- Turn off taps after use
- Use correct dual flush button
- Washing up – use a bowl, don’t wash under a running tap
- Dishwasher/washing machine – always wash a full load
- 4-minute time limit for work showers
- Washing work vehicles – use a bucket not a hose. If using a hose make sure it’s switched off when not in use
Help your team to make changes
- Literature/internal communications encouraging water saving behaviour
- Awareness signage and stickers e.g. turn off taps/use correct flush/washing up
- Education programme/course – communicate your water saving policy and tips
- Encourage water saving at home
Tackle the drips
- Regularly check your system for leaks
- Check meter out of hours to ensure no usage/leaks
- Quickly fix small leaks such as dripping taps/leaky loos
- Making sure you know where your supply pipes and shut off valves are
- Insulate pipes and have a cold weather plan to protect from freezing and splitting
Make water efficiency part of your environmental policy
Water efficient environmental policy
- Create a water usage policy
- Appoint a water saving ambassador/officer
- Conduct a water use review, identify improvements and potential for savings
- Set targets and deadlines for improvements
- Research water saving technology specific to your industry (e.g. agriculture, food production, printing etc.)
Invest in water saving technology
Upgrade and use less water
- Dual flush, efficient cisterns (can be retro fitted)
- Low flow tap and shower valves (can be retro fitted)
- Upgrade to low-flow toilets and waterless urinals (staff and customer facilities)
- Automatic or push, self-closing taps (staff and customer facilities)
- Water efficient appliances (domestic or commercial dishwashers and washing machines)
- Water butt/rainwater harvesting if you have a garden
Tips for your staff and customers
Create a water saving culture
- Turn off taps after use
- Use correct dual flush button
- Washing up – use a bowl, don’t wash under a running tap
- Dishwasher/washing machine – always wash a full load
- 4-minute time limit for work showers
- Washing work vehicles – use a bucket not a hose. If using a hose make sure it’s switched off when not in use
Water saving awareness
Help your team to make changes
- Literature/internal communications encouraging water saving behaviour
- Awareness signage and stickers e.g. turn off taps/use correct flush/washing up
- Education programme/course – communicate your water saving policy and tips
- Encourage water saving at home
Detect and reduce leaks
Tackle the drips
- Regularly check your system for leaks
- Check meter out of hours to ensure no usage/leaks
- Quickly fix small leaks such as dripping taps/leaky loos
- Making sure you know where your supply pipes and shut off valves are
- Insulate pipes and have a cold weather plan to protect from freezing and splitting
No matter how big or small your business is, you can make a difference and save every drop possible.
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