Water Conservation Checklist for Your Business

Awareness

• How much water is your business using now, and for what purpose?
• How much does your business pay for water?
• Do you know how to read your water meter?
• Are all employees aware of the goal to conserve water?
• Is there a contact person for water use questions?
• How will employees know when they've been successful in conserving water?

Finding Leaks

One way to detect leaks is to shut down all water-using facilities for some time period and read the water meter before and after. Did the reading change at all?
Are there dripping faucets, toilet tanks that don't seal, or leaking hoses? Toilet tanks can be checked with a few drops of food coloring. After 15 minutes without flushing, does any color show up in the bowl?

Eliminating Unnecessary Use

Is water being used in places where it is not really needed?
Which tasks could be readily accomplished with less water? For example, could floors be swept instead of hosed down?
Does water from sprinkler systems reach the plants that need it, or does much of it evaporate in the air or run off? Evaporation is especially high for sprinklers that make small droplets, spray them high into the air, and operate during the hottest part of the day.
Are some plants getting more water than they need?
Could drought-resistant landscaping provide an equally appealing look?

Installing Efficient Equipment

Which of the following might be feasibly installed in your business:
Faucet aerators, low flow showerheads, on-off valves on showerheads or hoses, toilet tank displacement devices, low-flow or vacuum flush toilets, water-efficient chillers?

Getting Help

Could your business use assistance from water conservation experts? Contacts include:
The City of Santa Rosa Water Conservation Office - (707) 543-3985
Sonoma County Water Agency - (707) 547-1900
California Department of Water Resources, Planning and Local Assistance Division - (916) 327-1775

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Water Conferences

In March 2000, BEA sponsored a highly successful water conservation conference entitled, "Got Water?" The tradition continued in April 2001 with a water and energy conservation conference (a "business resource conservation conference") called, "Got Watts? Got Water?" BEA is expecting to continue to host an annual water conservation conference in addition to its annual $traight to the Bottom Line conference.

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