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This checklist will help facility managers evaluate the appropriateness of water-saving adjustments for improving the efficiency of your plant. Remember, water savings often bring energy savings, too.

Bathrooms & Restrooms
Domestic water use accounts for an average 7% of the water use in most plants.
Repair Leaks! A 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 per week!
Showerheads, faucets and toilets that must be replaced due to normal wear-and-tear should be replaced with low-volume models, which are widely available.
Low-volume showerheads use only 2 gallons of water each minute; older models may use as much as 3 gallons per minute.
Replace faucets that use as much as 2.5 gallons per minute with those which use only 1.5. In most cases, low-volume faucet aerators can be installed when the entire faucet does not need replacing.

 

Water use in toilets can be reduced by:
Installing toilet tank, water displacement devices, such as toilet dams, bags, or weighted bottles.
Retrofitting flushometer (tank-less) toilets with water-savings diaphragms, which save one gallon (20%) per flush.
Replacing toilets with low-volume models. Toilets can use as much as 4.5 gallons per flush, while low-volume toilets use only 1.6 gallons per flush. An average savings of about 20% of the total water use in schools is possible through this one water conservation action.
These water conservation suggestions are more than just a good idea. Low-volume water fixtures are also required by most local building codes.

Building Maintenance

General
Check the water supply system for leaks, and turn off unnecessary flows.
Shut off the water supply to equipment and areas that are unused.
Discontinue water circulation pumping in areas not in use.
Read water meters monthly. Compare the readings to those taken in the same month of the previous year. This will help to identify leaks as they occur, as well as monitor conservation efforts.
Check the pressure. Where system pressure is higher than 60 psi, install pressure-reducing valves.
Consider using water-efficient ice machines.
Heating/Cooling
Cooling accounts for about 36% on average, of the water use in a school.
Reduce excessive blowdown! Many cooling towers operate below the suggested levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) unnecessarily. Adjust boiler and cooling tower blowdown rate to maintain TDS at levels recommended by manufacturers' specifications.
Consider using ozone as a cooling tower treatment to reduce water used for make-up.
Shut off water-cooled air conditioning units when not needed, or replace water-cooled equipment with air-cooled systems.
Capture and reuse steam condensate as boiler feed or cooling tower make-up. Water consumption and waste discharge can be reduced by reusing, process water.
Consider connecting equipment to a closed-loop system rather than using a municipal supply.
Cleaning
Instruct cleaning crews to use water efficiently for mopping.
Switch from "wet" carpet cleaning methods, such as steam, to "dry," powder methods.
Change window cleaning schedule from "periodic" to "as required."
Cafeterias  Slow the Flow!
Turn off the continuous flow used to wash the drain trays of the coffee/milk/soda beverage island. Clean thoroughly as needed.
Adjust ice machines to dispense less ice if ice is being wasted.
Presoak utensils and dishes in basins of water, rather than in running water.
Replace automatic shut-off spray nozzles, which can use as much as 4.5 gallons of water each minute, with low-volume nozzles using 2.0 gallons per minute.
Do not allow water to flow unnecessarily. Consider using automatic shut-off faucets at bar sinks.
Dishwasher Hints!
Wash only full loads in the dishwashers.
Replace the spray heads to reduce flow.
Turn dishwashers off when dishes are not being processed.
Reuse the rinse water from the dishwasher as flush water in garbage disposal units.

Outdoor Water Use
Landscaping
Apply water, fertilizer, or pesticides to your landscape only when needed. Look for signs of wilt before watering established plants.
Water early in the morning or in the evening when wind and evaporation are lowest.
Install an automatic rain shut-off device on sprinkler systems.
Consider using low-volume irrigation, such as a drip system.
Avoid runoff! Make sure sprinklers are directing water to landscape areas, and not to parking lots, sidewalks, or other paved areas.
Adjust the irrigation schedule for seasonal changes. Sprinklers generally do not have to be run as often in cooler weather, or during the rainy season.
Use mulch around landscape plants to reduce evaporation and weed growth.
Consider using drought-tolerant, low-maintenance plants.
General
Be sure all hoses have shut-off nozzles.
Use a broom, rather than a hose, to clear sidewalks, driveways, loading docks and parking lots
Wash vehicles only when needed.
Investigate the availability of reclaimed water for irrigation and other approved uses.
Make it a Policy
Educate employees about the importance and benefits of water conservation.
Create water conservation suggestion boxes, and place them in prominent areas.
Install signs in restrooms and cafeterias, which encourage water conservation.
Assign an employee, or a student, to evaluate water conservation opportunities and effectiveness.
Any retrofitting and/or plumbing changes to facilities must be consistent with regulatory agencies. Check with the appropriate agencies before making changes.

Manufacturers use an average of 144,542 gallons per day (GPD) of water.

Types of
Water Uses

Average Water Use
(% of total)

Potential Savings
(% of total)

Cooling

30

2

Process

28

9

Treatment

10

--

Domestic

7

4

Cleaning

1

--

Other

24

--

TOTALS

100% 144,542 gpd

15% 21,681

Source: ICI Conservation in the Tri-County Area of the SWFWMD. SWFWMD, November 1997.

 
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