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Water Conservation at the Office

Become a proud WaterSense® partner and let all your customers know.

Equipment

  • Contact your water utility to see if rebates are available for purchasing water-efficient fixtures, equipment or for facility audits, and then upgrade to WaterSense® labeled toilets, sink faucets, urinals and showerheads.
  • Install an instant water heater by the office kitchen sink so you don’t have to run the water while it heats up. This also reduces energy costs.
  • Some commercial refrigerators and ice-makers are cooled with water. Upgrade to air-cooled appliances for significant water savings.
  • Consider and compare water use when purchasing ice makers, dishwashers, reverse osmosis units, coolers and cleaning equipment.
  • Water audit your facility to find out your recommended water use, then monitor your utility bills to gauge your monthly consumption.
  • Have maintenance personnel regularly check your facilities for leaks, drips and other water waste. Have them shut off water to unused areas of your facility to eliminate waste from leaks or unmonitored use.
  • Conduct a facility water use inventory and identify water management goals. Determine how your on-site water is being used by installing sub-meters where feasible, then monitoring for savings. Don’t forget hidden water use costs, like energy for pumping, heating and cooling, chemical treatment, and water damage and sewer expenses.
  • When buying new appliances, consider those that offer cycle and load size adjustments. They are more water and energy efficient.
  • If your facility relies on cooling towers, have maintenance maximize cycles of concentration by providing efficient water treatment.

Personnel

  • Show your company’s dedication to water conservation through a policy statement. Commit management, staff and resources to the effort.
  • Create a goal of how much water your company can save and plan a celebration once that goal is met.
  • Publish your organization’s monthly water use to show progress toward water-saving goals.
  • Educate employees on good water habits through newsletters and posters. Include water-saving tips. Write feature articles on your employee website that highlight water-saving ideas and successes.
  • Create a suggestion and incentives system at your organization to recognize water-saving ideas. Give prizes for the best ideas.
  • As part of the WaterSense® Fix-A-Leak Week in March, plan an employee campaign to look for leaks. Post a hotline in bathrooms and kitchens to report leaks or water waste to facility managers or maintenance personnel. 
  • Become or appoint a water ambassador within your organization who creates, implements and maintains your water conservation program.
  • Test your co-workers or employees on topics like xeriscape, WaterSense®, and high-efficiency toilets. See how water-wise they are.
  • Your company can support water conservation events and education. ProjectWet hosts local events throughout the country.

Landscaping

  • Limit turf areas at your facility. Instead, landscape using xeriscape principles to cut water use in half.
  • Hire a WaterSense® irrigation partner to help with your landscape. Saving water on your landscape adds up quickly. Send the person in charge of your landscape to an irrigation workshop.
  • Marry the weather with your landscape water use. Water use should decrease during rainy periods and increase during hot, dry periods. A recent study showed that 99% of business managers surveyed ranked water conservation as a “top five” priority over the next decade.Be sure your irrigation system is watering only the areas intended, with no water running onto walks, streets or down the gutter.
  • While cleaning sidewalks, a hose and nozzle use 8-12 gallons of water per minute. A pressurized Waterbroom® uses closer to 3 gallons.
  • Inspect your landscape irrigation system regularly for leaks or broken sprinkler heads and adjust pressures to specification.
  • Give your landscape proper amounts of irrigation water. Determine water needs, water deeply but infrequently, and adjust to the season.
  • Establish a monthly water budget for your landscape based on the water needs of your plants.Put decorative fountains on timers and use only during work or daylight hours. Check for leaks if you have automatic refilling devices.
  • Consider turning your high-maintenance water feature/fountain into a low-maintenance art feature or planter.
  • Support projects that use reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and industrial uses.

Vehicles

  • Wash company vehicles at commercial car washers that recycle water.
  • Wash company vehicles as needed rather than on a schedule. Stretch out the time in between washes.

When ice cubes are leftover from your drink, don’t throw them out. Pour them on a thirsty plant.