Tampa Kayaker Sunset

Water Efficiency Checklists For Non-Residential Customers

Use this information to identify practices that can improve your water use efficiency and improve your bottom line. Remember, water savings often bring energy savings, too.

Bathrooms and Restrooms

  • Replace toilets and urinals with ultra-low-flow models that use 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf) and .0128 gpf, respectively. Select WaterSense labeled products to ensure best performance.
  • Replace faucets that use as much as 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) with low-flow models. In many instances, existing faucets can be retrofitted with low-volume aerators.
  • Replace showerheads with low-flow models.

Building Maintenance

  • Develop a proactive plan to prevent leakage as much as possible. A single leaking toilet can waste more than 50 gallons of water each day, and a dripping faucet or showerhead can waste up to 1,000 gallons of water a week.
  • Ensure facility is equipped with one or more private shut-off valves. They can be used when emergency repairs are needed, and they also can be used to isolate areas to assist with identifying leaks and equipment malfunctions.
  • Shut off water supply to any areas or any equipment not in use.
  • Monitor monthly water meter reading to assist with identifying leaks or other use issues as quickly as possible. The Tampa Water Department can assist with establishing a general water use baseline number that can help with using monthly demand as an alert to possible leakage.

Cleaning

  • Avoid “wet” carpet cleaning methods; switch to steam or “dry” powder methods.
  • Change window cleaning from periodic schedule to “as required.”
  • Use a broom or sweeping equipment rather than a hose to clear sidewalks, driveways, loading docks and parking lots.
  • Wash vehicles only as needed.

Heating and Cooling

  • Operate your cooling tower with six or seven cycles of concentration for best water efficiency.
  • Consider installing a pre-treatment process, such as softening, for cooling tower make-up water to reduce total demand.

Kitchens

  • Turn off continuous flow used to wash the drain trays of beverage dispensers. Clean as needed.
  • Adjust ice machines to dispense less ice if ice output not being fully used. Consider replacing older model ice makes with water-efficient models.
  • Replace automatic pre-rinse spray nozzles with low-volume models using no more than 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm).
  • Turn off food preparation faucets when not in use. Consider installing foot triggers for efficient on-offs.
  • Recycle water from steam tables for other uses, such as floor clean-up or flushing of garbage from disposal units.

Landscaping

  • Apply Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ practices, including right plant, right place.
  • Irrigate according to local restriction allowances, and avoid irrigation during windy periods.
  • Use low-volume irrigation for all irrigated non-turf areas. Ensure that low-volume irrigation is not mixed with irrigation for turf areas.
  • Adjust irrigation schedules and landscape maintenance practices for seasonal changes. Excessive or unnecessary irrigation can result in plant damage.
  • Ensure automatic irrigation equipment includes a state-required working rain shut-off device.
  • Avoid excessive run-off, misdirected sprinklers and obstructions that may prevent water from reach the intended location within irrigated areas.
  • Be sure all hoses are equipped with automatic shut-off nozzles.
  • Investigate the use of reclaimed water for irrigation.

 Swimming Pools

  • Lower pool levels to avoid splash out.
  • Change back-flush schedule from periodic to “as required.”
  • Use a pool cover to reduce evaporation and heat loss when pool is not in use.