Facilities managers: It pays to know your water budget
To develop a water budget for multi-family residential facilities:
Multiply number of occupants by 2,400 gallons per month (or 1,900 gallons per month
for units with 1.6 gallons per flush toilets). This estimate will be even lower
per occupant if laundry facilities in each apartment unit or in common use areas
are resource efficient models. Add estimated water use for other equipment that
may be on site such as an ice machine, pool or other water feature.
When Bennett Management Company called EWEB Water Management Services for a water
use analysis at Eugene Manor, they were thinking about replacing showerheads and
faucet aerators.
Water Management Specialist Chuck Bodine noticed that the water use seemed much
higher than the occupancy rate would indicate. Water meter recordings revealed an
unexplained 24-hour use of about 13 gallons per minute. A leak was found in the
service line between the meter and the building. Repairing this leak resulted in
immediate savings of over 600,000 gallons per month, which translated to more than
$575 on their monthly water bill. Then the manager for the new owners of Heritage
Village Apartments requested free irrigation audit services, EWEB staff found more
water usage than they expected. Water meter recordings indicated an unexplained
24-hour use of about 2.42 gallons per minute. Maintenance staff traced this use
to a leak under one of the apartment buildings.
By the time this hidden leak was found, it had rotted out the floor of three bathrooms
causing expensive damage. In addition, repairing this leak resulted in an immediate
savings of 104,000 gallons or about $110 per month. These leaks could have been
caught earlier if facilities managers had developed a water budget. Analysis of
water billing during the past winter months allows you to quickly develop an indoor
water use budget for your facility. Once summer irrigation begins, indoor and outdoor
water use are combined on the water bill making it harder to estimate a baseline
water use.
If water use at your facility is significantly higher than your calculated estimate,
you may call EWEB Water Management Services to ask for a free water meter recording.
This electronic record allows minute-by-minute analysis of water flowing through
the water meter.
Developing a water budget for a business or manufacturing facility requires analysis
of the unique circumstances of each facility. EWEB Water Management Services offers
free water meter recording and analysis services. Call (541) 685-7000 for more information.
