Daily office routine

Reduce water consumption at your workplace (as well)

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Objectives

• Practical tips on how to reduce water consumption through investment and staff buy-in

Green Value indicator

There are heaps of information out there on how to manage our water consumption wisely and perhaps it is this overwhelming information that sometimes allows us to ignore it. Isn’t it strange? So, let’s reduce this “yet another tip” to its essential message: If you can reduce your water consumption, do it EVERY TIME! Whenever you use water, ask yourself how you can reduce the amount you use.

There are many water usage calculators online.
www.watercalculator.org
We found this one was comprehensive, easy to use and very informative…although you may need to learn the litres to a gallon ratio (1 US liquid gallon = 3.785 litres)

Explanation

If you are human, you consume water. Also, if you are not human, you may need water to live or function. Whether we drink it, wash with it, use it to keep the vegetation around us hydrated - after air, water is what we need most and we must use it wisely every day, even when implementing project activities. Water conservation can help and is a must—and everyone can play a role, from the toddler learning to brush her teeth to the multinational corporation learning to make and sell products in a more resource-aware manner.

We might already be doing our best to conserve water in our home, but often in the workplace, we’re preoccupied with, well, work, and we don’t bring the same attention to sustainability issues (especially because in the office, they don’t directly impact our wallet).

Here are some simple tips, that can be implemented immediately.

1. Install low-flow toilets.
The largest share of water in office buildings is through bathroom use. Older, inefficient toilets use about 4 times more water per flush than a water-efficient kind. Check with your local water authority—many offer rebates for changing to high-efficiency toilets.

2. Check your taps for leaks and fix them promptly.
This drip calculator can tell you how much water your dripping tap is wasting. drinktap.org

3. Install tap aerators.
Attach aerators to hand-washing taps. Aerators mix water with air, creating a mistier spray and using less water than conventional taps. If your company offers on-site showers, switch to low-flow showerheads.

4. Signage.
Put signs up reminding co-workers to turn off the water while lathering and scrubbing hands, then turn it back on to rinse.

5. Compost.
Signs in the office kitchen can remind people to compost food scraps instead of washing them down the drain and using water each time.

6. Conservation education.
Make sure that co-workers know that the company is focused on water conservation. Writing policies into the employee handbook sends a message that sustainability is an important concept to management and integral to the company’s mission. For example, you could have a “campaign” to motivate employees to use their own reusable cups or glasses for water, coffee etc., and put it on posters by water dispensers and coffee machines.

7. Sweep.
Don’t use water for cleaning tasks that can be done with other tools: sweep pavements and floors instead of pressure washing them.

8. Goodbye grass.
If there is grass on the grounds of your workplace, consider removing the turf. Wild plants can use up to 83 percent less water than turfgrass. They can also be much prettier than plain grass and more beneficial to wildlife diversity.

9. Smart watering.
If landscaping is watered, make sure it’s done in the morning, when the cooler temperatures mean more of the water goes into the soil instead of evaporating. Install rain sensors so the system turns off when actual rain takes over the watering duties. Use drip irrigation where possible.

10. Free-range water.
Investigate your cooling system to find out if it can use alternative sources of water like captured rainwater and if so, install a rain barrel system for landscaping and cooling needs. Source: https://fruitguys.com

PROS/CONS of the action

Pros:

• Make better use of water as a scarce resource and save money.

Cons:

• Small investments can make a big difference, but most of the impact can be done by making the right choices.

Certified

There are regulations that may require organisations (businesses) to manage their water consumption. Check if your activity needs to follow certain requirements and whether there is any certification process in place.

Link to useful sources

Advice for reducing water consumption in your offices ww.ecoprod.co.uk

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Reducing Water Waste, Costs and Saving Money for Organisations, Large and Small www.waterwise.org.uk

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