Water Efficiency in the Industrial Sector

Water efficiency in the industrial sector is of paramount importance.

Industry uses huge quantities of water and, at the same time, must also ensure compliance with trade effluent standards to ensure that the environment, public health and treatment works are protected.

Fortuitously, the measures you can take to save substantial amounts of money are also beneficial to the planet, ensuring greater levels of sustainability which will enhance your CSR policy as well as your bottom line. If you have not already started implementing water-saving measures, it’s time to begin.

Find out where you’re wasting water

With the right data, you can keep a close eye on your company’s water consumption and use the information to assess how successful any water-saving measures are. The first step is to install an Automatic Meter Reader that will give you real-time data on water usage. The smart technology will give you real-time information, from which you can work out what your expected water usage is in the production process. With this knowledge of what is normal, you can then use the data to assess the drop in water usage whenever you introduce water-saving measures.

An understanding of typical usage will also enable you to identify any leaks quickly. This will allow you to take swift action to get the leak repaired - which will save the potential costs of wasted water and also the expense and disruption of any later structural damage.

Every little helps

You may think that, given the amount of water your business uses, saving small amounts of water here and there isn’t going to make a difference. Something as small as a dripping tap, which many people see as a minor annoyance, actually wastes around 60 litres of water a week. Multiply that by the amount of dripping taps there are across your premises, and you’ll soon start to see how the savings could stack up.

Another small measure that will save a lot of water is putting water-saving bags into toilet cisterns, which can save up to three litres per flush. Installing tap and showerhead aerators can save up to half the amount of water normally used, giving you a very quick return on your investment.

Other water-saving devices that require more of an investment are dual-flush toilets, urinal controls, waterless urinals, and sensor taps.

Recycling

There are ways of saving money on the amount of clean water you use, such as reusing what is known as ‘grey water’. Grey water is waste water harvested from sinks, showers, dishwashers, washing machines, etc., and diverted for use as water to flush toilets. This will also cut down on the amount of waste water you dispose of… and are charged for.

Rainwater would normally go straight down the drain - and you will be paying for its disposal as waste. Collecting it and using it to wash vehicles or water plants will also save you money in terms of water usage as well as waste.

Water efficiency audit

We have produced a free downloadable guide on Water Efficiency designed to help businesses of all sizes to create and implement a water efficiency plan. It covers all aspects of saving water, from staff behavioural changes to recycling and reducing use.

We also undertake water efficiency audits that will take an in-depth look at your water usage and make recommendations for improvements that will save water in the long run, making your business more sustainable at the same time as improving your bottom line.