A hot topic in conservation and sustainability for 2015 has undoubtedly been water. Rates are rising in almost every major U.S. city, and in the West, unprecedented drought conditions have spurred tougher regulations and restrictions on residential and commercial customers. In California, where as of September 2015, 46 percent of the state is in an “exceptional drought,” Governor Jerry Brown issued an Executive Order in April mandating a 25 percent potable water reduction for cities and towns across the state, and water suppliers responded with conservation programs. So far the mandates seem to be working: July’s conservation rate was reported at 31.3 percent, and for June and July—two of California’s hottest months—the cumulative statewide savings was 29.5 percent.
For homeowners, water conservation is fairly simple – they have one water provider and are informed about reduction goals. For commercial businesses—especially multi-site restauranteurs and hoteliers—keeping up with conservation mandates across different municipalities (and getting the cooperation of customers and guests) is much more challenging.
Drought conditions or not, there are good reasons for making a commitment to sustainable water conservation. Water and sewer costs have increased an average of 40 percent across all industries since 2008. Water now comprises more than 10 percent of total utility costs for most business (even more if you consider combined water and sewer), and is the second greatest opportunity for savings behind energy. Companies should be actively managing water use and costs, because doing nothing now will cost more later on. The good news is that many water-saving strategies take little expense or effort.
According to the U.S. EPA, approximately 15 percent of the total water use in commercial and industrial facilities in the U.S. takes place in hospitality and food service establishments. The largest water use happens in restrooms, kitchens, laundering and landscaping. Fortunately, there are relatively simple efficiency measures and operational changes that can conserve water in these industries:
Shari’s Restaurants, a Northwest chain that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, worked with ENGIE Impact to evaluate its operational costs and focused part of the effort on water conservation. Three simple solutions helped the chain save almost one million dollars in just one year.
These tips are merely a start of what businesses can do to conserve water, which is only a small piece of the bigger picture. In future blog posts, we’ll be examining some of the other challenges and opportunities for business, such as data collection and detailed reports on water conservation, local conservation mandates, ENGIE Impact’s water rate predictions, and smart meters that can help pinpoint reduction opportunities.
