Top 10 tips on water efficiency

23rd November 2010, 8:25am

Many hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars are counting the cost of economic uncertainty and are looking for ways to reduce their overheads. Business Stream, Scotland's leading non-domestic water supplier, gives the industry ten top tips on how to make more efficient use of their water supply and cut costs.

Over the past two years, Business Stream has helped customers in Scotland, including those within hotel and catering, implement water and waste water efficiency measures, which have resulted in savings of more than £10 million.

Business Stream is also offering a free water efficiency pack to businesses which can be claimed by logging on to www.business-stream.co.uk. It includes a water saving device called a hippo that reduces water used in each flush by a third and a tap water aerator that can halve water consumption.

The tips for the hotel and catering industry have been designed so that they can be easily implemented for little or no cost:

• Make sure kitchen taps are always turned off when not in use. A 5mm drip can waste a bath full of water per day and cost £900 per year

• Keep staff informed about water efficiency and appoint a water monitor. They can identify areas where water can be saved e.g. by setting water usage targets

• Check new equipment such as dishwashers for water efficiency ratings and only switch on when full

• Consider alternative water sources, e.g. rainwater use and greywater, where possible and establish how wasted water could be used elsewhere

• Fit smart meters to allow you to monitor water usage and identify leaks by checking the monitor remains static when no water is being used

• Make sure your pipes are protected against cold weather as leakages increase  due to frost

• Know where your supply pipes run and where the shut off valves are

• Install automatic flushes and spray taps to sinks in toilets, which can reduce water use by up to 70%

• Fit free water-saving hippos in toilet cisterns. They can save up to three litres per flush

• Wash business vehicles by hand, or a hose with a shut-off valve

Mark Powles, chief executive of Business Stream, said: "The hotel and catering industry is no different from any other; it is unusual for water issues to be at the forefront of their minds.

"However, these are difficult times for the industry and cutting their water use by following these simple tips will help them to manage their water more efficiently and generate substantial cost savings. "

Related Articles:

• 18 Sep 2007 - UK businesses urged to stop wasting water

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