Facility managers today face growing challenges related to water usage, driven by volatile water prices, increasing concerns about freshwater availability, and the essential role water plays in production, maintenance, and human consumption. Balancing environmental responsibility with business needs can feel complex, but proactive water management strategies can simplify the process and significantly reduce costs.
Step 1: Understanding Your Water Usage
Your water bill outlines the amount of freshwater entering your facility but doesn't show how efficiently it’s utilized. Just like at home, unnoticed leaks and unattended faucets can waste thousands of gallons—and inflate your water bills.
An essential first step is conducting a comprehensive water audit. A trusted water management partner can identify where and how water is used, revealing opportunities for savings. Common areas to evaluate include:
- Production Processes: Fabrication, washing, cooling, diluting
- Heating and Cooling: HVAC system usage
- Cleaning and Sanitation: Equipment, office spaces
- Landscaping and Outdoor Use
- Human and Facility Consumption
- Uncontrolled Losses: Leaks and accidental waste
Step 2: Four Essential Approaches to Effective Water Management
Combine these four proven strategies to craft a robust, sustainable water management plan tailored to your facility's needs:
1. Enhance Water Efficiency
Improving water efficiency minimizes waste in processes. Effective tactics include:
- Implementing water treatment plans to prevent scale and corrosion, enhancing equipment efficiency.
- Deploying automation tools for accurate monitoring of water use.
- Training employees on efficient water management practices.
- Upgrading to energy-efficient pumps, motors, and HVAC systems.
2. Implement Water Conservation Practices
Reducing water requirements in operations can significantly lower your consumption:
- Install water-efficient equipment like recirculating cooling systems and water pretreatment solutions.
- Replace outdated equipment with high-efficiency models.
- Transition from water-cooled to air-cooled equipment where possible.
- Educate staff on responsible water use and equip hoses with automatic shut-off nozzles.
3. Reuse, Treat, and Filter Water
Maximize your water resources by extending their usable life:
- Recycle clean, non-potable water (e.g., from cooling towers, rainwater collection, and sinks) for suitable tasks like cleaning and cooling.
- Use reverse osmosis (RO) systems to purify and reuse water efficiently, reducing chemicals and energy consumption.
- Establish rigorous water treatment programs to protect against microbial growth and scale formation, extending equipment life and maintaining operational efficiency.
4. Wastewater Control
Effective wastewater management cuts unnecessary costs and minimizes regulatory risk:
- Closely monitor water inflows and outflows to accurately measure wastewater discharge.
- Communicate accurately with local utilities to ensure proper credits for water not entering the sewer system.
- Maintain strict compliance with wastewater discharge regulations to avoid costly fines and operational disruptions.
- Explore on-site treatment options for water currently disposed of off-site due to contamination.
Optimize Your Facility’s Water Usage Today
You can't effectively manage what you don't measure. Partnering with a water management specialist ensures precise monitoring, proactive strategies, and sustainable savings. Improve your bottom line and contribute positively to the environment by initiating a tailored water management plan today. Request a site survey to get started and one of our technical engineers will be in touch.
