Ways to Minimize Water Usage in a Work Environment

 Considering that roughly 150,000 businesses fail every month and at least half of those failures are attributed to “lack of funding,” it’s safe to say that the normal costs and overhead of running a business are a significant burden to owners.  

What does that have to do with water usage? Well, for one thing business owners can’t afford leaky pipes -- it’s as simple as that. 

Now, there might be some doubt as to whether it’s cheaper just to use extra water than to repair a faulty system, and that’s fair; sometimes that may be the case. Ultimately, though, preserving water is about more than controlling costs -- it’s about embracing sustainability. 

Water is one of the most precious resources on the planet, and with the global population growing, water is only becoming more valuable. In the long run, careful water management in the workplace will save a business money, but even more importantly, it sets the tone for the type of organization you will be remembered as -- and the type of organization you are today. 

As a professional in the field of water management, I occasionally get asked about how a business ought to handle its supply and distribution of water, and what to do in the case of a problem. Whether it’s a specific problem or just general improvements, here are four tips I never hesitate to give: 

1. Always identify and fix leaks

If you’ve got leaks, there’s a good chance you waste far more water than you think. If a water bill looks bigger than it should, a leak should be considered the number one suspect. No matter how small a leak is, it still results in a large amount of water usage. 

2. Use water audit services 

There are consultants available for everything these days, including those who specialize in helping your business conserve water. It’s hard to beat a professional who can come into your place of business, account for the needs and model of your workplace, employees, and clientele, and then take on the challenging task of designing innovative methods to improve your resource management. Especially for owners or managers who are already stretched thin by daily tasks, bringing in an expert is often the best choice.

3. Recycle your water

Water recycling is a sub-industry of its own at this point, with a variety of products and services on offer to aid in its accomplishment. Sometimes mentioning it gets a funny reaction, though, so just bear in mind that you don’t have to go the full “toilet-to-tap” route to reap the benefits of recycling. Even a marginal amount of recycling can make a huge dent in your water bill -- and pave the way for your whole organization to invest in better sustainability practices.  

The actual process of recycling can seem inaccessible, when all your water flows to the water district. That’s where a self-contained grey water “purple pipe” (shower and sink water) reuse system could make sense, to provide toilet water reflush and irrigation. “Black water” (you know, the other kind...) treatment systems are much more ambitious, but may make sense where water is very scarce and water rates punitive. Remember that there are modular water systems -- literally, water systems in a box, that greatly simplify the task. 

Finally, there is an important benefit to recycling: it is very, very good PR to say that your lawns are being watered using reclaimed water! 

4. Invest in modern equipment 

If you do decide to go the recycling route, a modern, modular setup can help a lot in terms of value added. But even if you don’t recycle your water (did I mention you really should, though?) installing new toilets, sinks, and other plumbing components can seriously improve a business’s level of water efficiency. 

Every workplace has some use for water, which means that every business owner can benefit from at least looking into how that water is managed. If you do decide to make changes, whether a simple sink repair or a complete water treatment system installation, my final tip (more like common sense than expertise) is to only work with professionals you trust. Otherwise you might find yourself leaking cash instead of just water. 

--

Riggs Eckelberry is the founder and CEO of the innovative water technology company, OriginClear, which is delivering water solutions for industrial customers worldwide. Based in Los Angeles with operations in Texas, Virginia and China, OriginClear has developed and licensed an invention that treats industrial and agricultural waste water with very little energy, and no chemicals. And now, industrial users can treat their water right where they use it, using prepackaged “point of use” water treatment systems that have an amazing life cycle of up to 100 years or more.