Water Conservation Tips

These tips can help you squeeze the most value from the water your business buys to do common facility chores, make products and keep your employees comfortable: 

• WaterSense best management practices can help your business develop a water management plan to make the most of your investment.

• An annual plumbing tune-up, followed by quarterly check-ups to track down sneaky leaks, is the most cost-effective way to save water for more useful tasks.

• Turn off the water supply to equipment and areas that are not in use.

• Consider buying new, performance-tested WaterSense-labeled fixtures to save water with every use.

• Upgrade food service equipment to ENERGY STAR ® models to save energy and water.

• The WaterSense Hotel Challenge can motivate hospitality staff to look for everyday water savings.

Wise outdoor water use

If you water your landscape, you may see an increase in your summer water bills. Your business can take a few simple steps to make the most of every gallon you buy:

• A spring tune-up, followed by monthly check-ups for underground landscape sprinkler leaks, is the most cost-effective way to manage your summer water bill.

• A commercial-grade underground landscape sprinkler system can use more than 60 gallons a minute. Make every minute count. The Weekly Watering Recommendations let your landscape maintenance staff know how much water is needed to keep plants healthy all season.

• If your landscape includes lawn, check that your maintenance staff follows Oregon State University Extension Service guidelines to maintain a healthy lawn in western Oregon. Watering is only one step for keeping your grass green throughout the summer.

• Invest in mulch for your shrubs and flowers to keep water in the root zone.

• Make sure that your landscape maintenance staff reduces the watering schedule for native or water-efficient plants that are adapted to the Willamette Valley.

• If you have a large campus-style landscape, invest in a WaterSense-labeled irrigation controller to follow Weekly Watering Recommendations automatically.

Mechanical system water efficiency

Your facility staff can use the WaterSense at Work guide to help reduce mechanical system water use in cooling towers, chilled water systems and boiler systems.