Green Per Square Foot

Best practices for water conservation July 22nd, 2015

Since 2009, a number of states have reported water stress as a worsening trend in water supply. Water stress and scarcity greatly affect water pollution, utility bills and the greater ecosystems. Water conservation is a simple practice to save money while helping your community.

10 ways to practice simple water-savings:153502633

  1. Check toilets, faucets, and pipes for leaks
    Even the smallest drip can waste almost 20 gallons of water every day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.
  2. Insulate water pipes
    Pre-slit foam pipe insulation will provide hot water faster, while avoiding water waste and lowering water-heating costs.
  3. Install low-flush toilets
    Older toilets use nearly 3.5 gallons of water per flush. A low-flush toilet uses 1.6 gallons or less, which includes either a single-flush or dual-flush model.
  4. Use faucet aerators
    Aerators use a strong flow of water with fine droplets to reduce at least 60 percent of water used by a faucet.
  5. Reduce water pressure
    A reduction in water pressure will reduce potential leaky water pipes and water consumption.
  6. Conduct a water audit
    A water evaluation of your building will reveal excessive water consumption and specific areas you can implement water conservation measures.
  7. Use real-time metering
    Water used by HVAC systems consist of more than one-third of a building’s water consumption. This can increase greatly if you don’t track the amount of water used for mechanical purposes.
  8. Install waterless urinals
    In a busy office building a waterless urinal will save more than 6, 500 gallons of water a year. The outflow pipes send the liquid waste to a water treatment plant that is connect to the facility’s plumbing system.
  9. Use a re-circulating water system
    HVAC units use chilled water to generate a cool airflow. A re-circulating water system recycles water to perform cooling operations and reduces water consumption.
  10. Install faucet motion sensors.
    Running water continuously while washing your hands wastes water. A motion sensor-activated faucet only supplies water when a pair of hands are directly in front of it.

 

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