Saving water in your workplace

Use these 6 steps to analyse water efficiency and reduce water use in your workplace:

1. get management on side
2. collect information
3. list end uses
4. assess water uses
5. identify and implement water saving ideas
6. review and report.

The following areas are common to small and large enterprises and are the easiest places to start making water and cost savings.

Make your staff water wise

• Talk to staff about your water savings initiatives. Include water savings policies and procedures in staff inductions.
• Encourage staff to contribute to water saving ideas.
• Discuss water efficiency at team meetings and provide regular reports on water use figures.
• Appoint a 'water champion' to check meters and monitor water use.
• Establish a baseline for water use and set achievable targets for saving water.

Taps

• Install water-efficient taps with an aerator or flow restrictor to use less water.
• Install lever or mixer taps, these save water by quickly reaching a desired temperature.
• Fix leaking taps and replace washers - even a slowly dripping tap can waste 10,000 litres of water over a year.
• Avoid washing up under running taps.

Dishwashers

• Install water-efficient dishwashers to use 50% less water than average models.
• Wait until you have a full load before washing.
• Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes prior to washing.

Toilets

• Replace single-flush toilets with dual-flush toilets.
• Regularly check for leaks and fix immediately.
• Install water-efficient urinals with smart controls to reduce unnecessary flushing.

Showers

• Encourage staff and customers to limit showers to 4 minutes or less.
• Install water-efficient shower heads, which can use up to 40% less water.
• Fix leaking showers.

Air conditioning

• If you use evaporative air conditioners, set your thermostat to 24°C.
• Where possible, use fans and natural ventilation.
• Switch off heating and cooling after hours.

Gardens

• Install rainwater tanks.
• Use drought-tolerant plants.
• Use mulch to keep moisture in the soil.
• Water plants early in the morning or in the evening.

Water-efficient products

You can cut water consumption by using white goods with a high water-efficiency rating. For more information, visit the Australian Government's Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme and Smart Approved Watermark.