> Water consumption
> Efficient water use within the office
> Calculating your office water use and savings
> Water pollution

According to the World Health Organisation, less than 1% of the world's freshwater, or 0.007% of all the water on Earth, is readily available for human consumption.

Fortunately there is still enough for our needs, if we use it wisely and avoid contaminating a precious resource with harmful pollutants.

The majority of UK water that we consume is repeatedly treated to remove everyday pollutants and ensure that it is available from our taps 24hrs a day. The purification of drinking water is energy and resource intensive.

Since 1950 water consumption has almost tripled to nearly 150 litres per person per day. Only a small proportion of this portable water is used for drinking. The largest proportion within an office is used for flushing the toilet, cleaning dishes or for use in catering.

There are many ways in which both water use and costs can be reduced.

Water consumption

The first step in reducing water use is to calculate the amount of water used in your office or building. Look at you water bills for the last year, longer if you can, to see if there has been any significant increases in usage. This may also be due to significant increases in staff numbers.

Reduce consumption
Install a water meter. This will enable you to monitor how much water you use. There are various types. Ask your current water supplier for information.

Find and fix leaks

• If you have a water meter, you can check for leaks by turning off the water and taking two meter readings several minutes apart. If the reading is different, there may be a leak.

• Leaks more often occur in supply pipe work below or adjacent to your premises.

• Contact your supplier if you are unsure where the source of increase water use is.

• Some water areas provide free water audits.

• Check cisterns, overflows and pipe-work to and from heating and cooling systems.

• Check all areas where water is used in your office/building. A dripping tap could waste as much as 90 litres a week. Check for leaking taps.

Simple water saving techniques

• Install a special water saving device in the cistern, such as the inexpensive 'Hog Bag' or HIPPO, less water is wasted when you flush the toilet. These don’t work with all toilet types.

New fittings

• Fit spray inserts in often-used taps. These reduce the amount of water from the faucet but don’t reduce washing efficiency.

• Fit new percussion taps, which turn off after a set period.

• Fit variable flush handles to all applicable toilet cisterns. Standard toilets use between 6 and 9 litres of water every time they are flushed.

• If replacing automatic flushing urinals consider proximity flush control systems, or use waterless and air flush systems where possible. Fit supply restrictor valves in supply pipes. These maintain a steady water flow, whatever the change in water pressure and can reduce water flow by up to 50%.

• If your business uses washing machines and dishwashers make sure they are the most water and energy efficient. Ask the supplier for resource saving features or look for ‘A’ rated products.

• If your office has a large canteen, fit extended trigger handles to tap points. These reduce water use during food preparation and cleaning.

Considering grey-water reuse

• Grey-water is wastewater from washbasins, showers, baths and from cooling processes. This can be partially treated on site and reused, for example, for toilet flushing and garden irrigation. This is often more appropriate if carrying out new building work or extensive overhaul of water services. There are a number of specialists who can advise you.

Considering rainwater use

• Rainwater can be collected in butts and used for various processes. It is principally used for washing of, for example, vehicles. With the use of a more sophisticated collection and treatment system, rainwater may also be used for flushing of WCs and office landscape.

Efficient water use within the office

• Ensure that everyone in your organisation is aware of the need to be water efficient. Communicate the measures you are taking and the results of any changes made.
  The simplest measures are the easiest to adopt.

• Fill kettles with enough water for your needs but not to the brim. This will reduce your fuel bills too.

• You can use less water by turning the hot tap down, rather than the cold tap up, if you require cooler water.

• Use a plug in the sink and a bowl of water to wash cups and plates rather than washing under the tap over a plughole.

Calculating your office water use and savings

Work out how much you could save

Add up all your water use rates from your past bills in the last year

Calculate potential savings against target water use rates

Calculate annual water savings and implement water efficiency measures

Calculate annual financial savings

Calculate water use figures per day per person

These will be in some places average figures that will supply inexact data but should provide baseline figures for water use, targets and costs. Once regular monitoring takes place your office water consumption and cost should become more accurately defined.

Figures

• <1.5m3 per person per year – is regarded as best practice.

• This is what you should be aiming for in the medium to long-term.

• The average figure for offices is approximately 50 litres (0.05 m3) per person per day, this will depend upon catering and janitorial uses.

Water pollution

It is also important to reduce the volume and concentration of pollutants that end up in our water treatment works, rivers and beaches.
Lots of these pollutants come from every day items that we wash down the sink or flush down the toilet.

Chemicals and Detergents

The disposal of persistent and harmful chemicals into the water system is adding to increasing levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the food chain. Chemicals increasingly found as pollutants in wildlife include, hormone disrupting compounds, such as phthalates, alkylphenolic compounds (APCs) and Bisphenol A.

• Use environmentally preferable products where possible. Many products now have a green alternative.

• Don’t wash oils, solvent, paints or thinners down sinks or drains. Store them in a safe container and take to an authorised collection centre or community paint store for reuse.

• Use accredited biodegradable detergents in washrooms, kitchens and toilets. Many are available and are now comparable in quality and price.

Sanitary Products

Flushing non-biodegradable sanitary products down the toilet can have a direct impact on the quality of our environment. Depending on the adequacy of sewage treatment facilities many of these products end up on coastal beaches and riverbanks.

• Provide sanitary collection in female office toilets.

• Inform staff that other non-biodegradable products should not go down the drain, including, cotton buds and medicines.

• Don't buy feminine hygiene or sanitary protection products that are marketed as 'flushable'. Choose those that feature the Bag It Bin It logo.

• Make sure all staff know that only paper tissue and human waste go down the drain.

content©FoE Scotland,2003
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