You’ve been working hard at “going green” to make your facility more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. But chances are, unless your area is in the midst of a major drought (like the ones making headlines in California,) you may not have added water conservation to your list of concerns. However, water is a scarce resource that many people – and businesses – take for granted every day.
So how can your plant or facility “Go Blue?”
The first step is to conduct a water audit of your facility. Every business is different, but some of the most common ways that water waste can happen include:
- Cleaning practices – Cleaning your equipment is important, but many facilities are shocked to see how much water (and money!) they could be saving during this routine maintenance task. High-pressure devices, particularly when fixed with the proper nozzles, can significantly lower the volume of water needed to get the job done.
- Landscaping – A carefully manicured outdoor space can be lovely, but how much are you spending on it? Drought-resistant plants like succulents and cacti reduce watering expenses, while cutting out grass in exchange pebbles or other forms of sustainable landscaping can also cut back on upkeep costs. And most importantly, they still look great.
- Leaks – No excuses! Checking for leaks should be on every maintenance schedule at your facility. Common points of concern are in hoses, nozzles, tanks, and valves.
Next, it’s important to have a familiarity with the specific water concerns of your area. Everyone knows the west suffers from droughts and environmental conditions, but another serious issue is contamination. Water can become contaminated from a variety of different sources, depending upon which area of the country you’re located. To make sure your facility is being part of the solution and not part of the problem, check out this interactive water quality map from Pelican Water, which breaks down water issues by state.
Finally, the last and most important step to any facility change is to get employees on board. Training can help educate employees on where they are most likely to waste water, but why stop there? Consider adding an incentive program, too. If your facility has different operating divisions, water use can charged back to each division, or you can have competitions with a reward given to the most water-efficient sectors.
Water efficiency in your facility is within reach. Make strides now that can help your business go blue – and save some green in the process.
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-hughes/5-ways-businesses-can-con_b_11556346.html
http://www.mntap.umn.edu/greenbusiness/water/119-WaterConservation.htm
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Charity Murphy is a freelance writer for Insured Solutions and Improve comedienne based in Louisville, Kentucky. She lives with her husband Ben and their two dogs, Sprocket and Ms. Brisby. |