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Post a
hotline in bathrooms and kitchens to report leaks or water waste to
facility managers or maintenance personnel.
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Create a
suggestion and incentives system at your organization to recognize
water-saving ideas.
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Include a
water-saving tip in your employee newsletter featuring how much
water can be saved with each action.
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Implement a
water management plan for your facility, then educate employees on
good water habits through newsletters and posters.
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Publish
your organization’s monthly water use to show progress toward
water-saving goals.
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Invite your
water utility conservation staff to your organization for Earth Day
and other environmental events to help promote water savings.
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Have a
water audit done for your facility to find out the recommended water
use for your operations, then make sure someone monitors your
utility bills to gauge your monthly consumption.
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Have
maintenance personnel regularly check your facilities for leaks,
drips and other water waste.
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If you use
processed water in your business or facility, look into water
recycling and reuse.
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Contact
your water utility to see if rebates are available for purchasing
water-efficient fixtures, equipment or for facility audits.
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Consider
and compare water use when purchasing things like ice makers,
dishwashers, reverse osmosis units, coolers and cleaning equipment.
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Appoint or
volunteer to be a water conservation champion within your
organization and create, implement and maintain your water
conservation program.
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Determine
how your on-site water is being used by installing sub-meters where
feasible, then monitoring for savings.
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Conduct a
facility water use inventory for domestic plumbing (sinks, toilets,
showers), heating and cooling (cooling towers, boiler blow-down),
kitchen plumbing (dishwasher, ice machines), process water (cooling,
rinsing, chemical dilution), water features (pools, spas, fountains)
and landscape irrigation. Then identify water management goals.
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Don’t
forget hidden water-use costs, such as energy for pumping water,
water heating and cooling, chemical treatment, water damage and
sewer expenses.
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Show your
company’s dedication to water conservation by creating a written
policy statement and by committing management, staff, time and other
resources to the effort.
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Shut off
water to unused areas of your facility to eliminate waste from leaks
or unmonitored use.
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Create a
goal of how much water your company can save and plan a celebration
once that goal is met.
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Ask
employees for suggestions on saving water and give a prize for the
best ideas. Incentivize it!
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Write
feature articles on your employee website that highlight
water-saving ideas and successes.
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Saving
water in your landscape adds up quickly, so send the person in
charge of your landscape to an irrigation workshop.
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Track the
weather and water use in the landscape. Water use should decrease
during rainy periods and increase during hot, dry periods.
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Visit your
local Water Conservation office’s website to get information on
programs available to businesses.
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Ask your
company to sponsor or volunteer at events that support water
conservation and education.
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Scrape
dishes rather then rinse them before washing.
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Use
water-conserving icemakers.
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A recent
study that focused on business sustainability and environmental
responsibility showed that 99% of business managers surveyed ranked
water conservation as a “top five” priority over the next decade.
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If your
facility is cooled with cooling towers, have maintenance staff or
facility managers maximize cycles of concentration by providing
efficient water treatment.
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Be sure
your irrigation system is watering only the areas intended, with no
water running onto walks, streets or down the gutter.
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Using a
hose and nozzle to clean sidewalks uses 8 to 12 gallons of water per
minute. With a pressurized Waterbroom®, you will clean more
efficiently and use as little as 2.8 gallons of water per minute
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Make sure
landscape irrigation systems are operating properly by inspecting
regularly for leaks or broken sprinkler heads and adjusting
pressures to the equipment specifications.
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Make sure
your landscape is getting the proper amount of irrigation water.
Determine water needs, water deeply but infrequently and adjust your
controller to the season.
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Establish a
monthly water budget for your landscape based on the water needs of
your plants. Learn more from a WaterSense® certified irrigation
auditor, your utility water conservation office, or from your local
cooperative extension office.
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Place
decorative fountains on a timer and use only during work or daylight
hours. Periodically check for leaks if you have automatic refilling
devices.
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Wash
company vehicles at commercial car washers that recycle water.
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Wash
company vehicles as needed rather than on a schedule. Stretch out
the time in between washes.
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Consider
turning your high-maintenance water feature/fountain into a
low-maintenance art feature or planter.
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When buying
new appliances, consider those that offer cycle and load size
adjustments. They are more water and energy efficient.
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Upgrade
older toilets with water-efficient models.
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Make sure
there are water-saving aerators on all of your faucets.
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Install an
instant water heater near your kitchen sink so you don’t have to run
the water while it heats up. This also reduces energy costs.
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Support
projects that use reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and industrial
uses.
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When
you have ice left in your cup from a take-out restaurant, don’t
throw it in the trash. Pour it on a plant.