Don’t
jump head first into a water efficiency program. Use the
following four steps to develop a successful program at
your facility.
1.
Conduct
a water audit to measure water use in different
areas of your facility. Often the water use of specific
operations is not known.
2.
Develop a plan
to deal with large or inefficient uses. It
should be a simple, step-by-step guide outlining your
specific goals and strategies.
3.
Gain management
support and commitment. Showing
short payback periods can help prove water efficiency
is a sound investment to quickly gain long-term savings.
For Twin Cities metro area facilities, impending SAC fees
should put water conservation in the fast lane.
4.
Create an employee
participation and awareness program. Commitment from your
staff is essential to the success of a water reduction
program. Form a committee of employees to help create
and implement the plan. Develop an incentive program to
recognize water saving ideas and discuss water efficiency
at staff meetings. To help build credibility and offer
a new perspective to employees, bring in speakers from
other organizations.
A Water
Conservation Guide for Commercial, Institutional and Industrial
Users by the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer contains
information on areas where water savings can most likely be
realized, including water conservation guidelines for specific
water uses and case studies of businesses and institutions
with successful water conservation programs. And, for help
identifying strategies customized to your facility for reducing
water use, call MnTAP at 612.624.1300 or 800.247.0015 from
greater Minnesota.
