Save water, save money in your business

Summer is almost here and with the rise in temperatures there is a risk that your water usage may also rise. Looking at how your business can save water during the summer months and continuing the good practice all year long is not only environmentally friendly – it will also save your business money. Unsure of where to start? As a leading Business Water provider, Unicom is here to help. We’ve put together some simple ways to get you started to save water and save money for your business.

Install water-efficient equipment

Your business might be much more water-intensive than you think. By installing water-efficient equipment you can minimise the amount of water your business uses every day. Take your taps as a starting point, you can purchase lever or mixer taps that will easily reach your desired temperature without wasting a drop. You could also invest in tap aerators which mix water with air to significantly reduce the amount of water used by as much as 50%.

Another place to consider is your toilet. For example, dual-flush toilets which offer a choice of how much water is used are crucial to decrease water consumption. Urinals can use a lot of water depending on how many times a day they’re being flushed. If your business is open 40 hours a week, up to 75% of the flushing happens when there’s no one there. You could save up to 60% of your business water charges by fitting urinal controls and avoiding out-of-hours flushing.

Review your water usage

When was the last time you reviewed your water usage? As a busy business owner, chances are you simply do not have the time. That’s where a water audit can come in handy. A third-party can carry out an analysis of your water usage and suggest areas where efficiencies (and savings) could be made. It’s also great for spotting any unknown leaks.

Water audits may not be suitable for every business, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t carry out your own review. A handy DIY check is to put a few drops of food colouring or even a dye tablet into your toilet tank. Then keep a look out for any colour in the bowl as this is a sign that your tank could be wasting up to 100 gallons of water a day. Remember to regularly check your taps for any drips. A dripping tap can waste up to 90 litres of water every single week.

Utiilse more of your water

It’s time to get creative – rather than watching water (and your money) go down the drain, think of other ways you can utilise it. Waiting for the tap to warm up or cool down? Try collecting the water in the sink and then use it for cleaning, watering office plants or even try storing it in the fridge for drinking (ideal for the summer months!)

Think about investing in a water butt to collect rainwater that falls onto your roof so that you can use it to water your office garden, crops and plants or even for car washes.

Not the owner of the building? Discuss ideas with your landlord to see how you can work together towards your sustainability goals.

Promote your water efficiency plans

You can’t achieve this water saving mission alone, so you’ll need all your colleagues to be on board. Consider running water saving initiatives starting with a promotional launch communicating the benefits to the business and the environment of becoming more water efficient.

Unicom is also here to help as your water provider. Ensure that you send us regular meter reads so that we can bill you for your actual usage, rather than an estimate of your usage. You’ll be able to compare your water consumption month-on-month by logging on to your Customer Zone to access your previous invoices online, or referring to your paper copy if you receive one. Track the progress and keep everyone updated and involved.

You’ll need to make sure that your water savings plan is not only in place but that it is followed through with continual promotion.