4 Ways Your Business Is Wasting Water

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 How high is your water bill? Not only is excessive use of water wasteful in any scenario, but it can also increase expenses, which, for small businesses, especially, can be one extra cost too many.

If you're trying to cut costs and rein in things in, one area to start with is your plumbing, because the consumption isn't usually obvious. Leaks hide behind walls, under floors, and in the everyday routines that seem harmless until they're not.

Let's take a look at 4 ways your business is wasting water and how to rectify it.

Undetected Leaks

The first and most obvious way businesses waste water is via undetected leaks, which aren't always the big splurge of water you expect when you think of a leak. Most are hidden, and you only realize once things have gotten bad.

Leaky faucets, running toilets, or leaking overflow pipes that go unnoticed are all guilty offenders - a running toilet can waste as much as 400 liters of water per day.

An easy way to rectify this is to make sure you're conducting regular inspections of your plumbing and checking water pressure to make sure nothing changes, or so you can spot when things do change, indicating an issue, such as low water pressure.

Old Equipment

Plumbing equipment is robust and durable, but it often doesn't last forever, sadly. If you have not updated features or fittings, then chances are they're slowly failing.

Old toilets and taps waste more water than more modern fittings, and the appliances you use are the same. The older they are, the higher their water consumption will be. Even if they're still working, they could be using too much water.

Rubber seals, hose bibbs, old boilers, and valves that stick open are all potential issues waiting to happen. Upgrading parts regularly and using high-quality parts means you can rely on them or your own without worrying about wasting water or something failing when you least expect it. 

Bad Habits

Water waste isn't always due to your equipment; sometimes, it's the people who use it. Poor daily water habits add up and will cost you money. For example, people forgetting to turn off taps or leaving water running when washing or rinsing items can consume significant amounts of water. People will bring their bad habits to work, and if they're not educated or aware of the cost of these habits, they won't change.

Sure, you can switch to motion sensor taps, for example, or low flush/automatic flushing titles, but educating your team can have just as much of an impact.

Lack of Monitoring

A lack of attention to your water usage means you can't really know if you're over-consuming or not, and that can be just as big a problem in itself. Track water usage by taking regular readings and recording them monthly, at least. Daily tracking, ie, before and after a working day or when non-operational endpoints start, can help you identify leaks easier too. Without tracking, you'll have no idea what you're working with and no idea of how to change to save you money.