Sydney Water’s business program aims to drive the world’s best practice in nonresidential water efficiency. Best practice guidelines have been developed for commercial buildings, hotels and clubs and aquatic centres.

The guidelines build on and support water savings made by businesses and industrial water users over the past decade, as they have adopted holistic water management practices.

Sydney Water’s Business Customer Services Manager Andrew Kirkwood said Sydney Water’s business water efficiency initiatives target both big and small businesses.

“Business best practice initiatives are for businesses of any size and focus on identifying opportunities for reducing water use through process improvement, leak detection, reuse, water efficient devices and business specific advice.

“The saving of over 18,000 million litres for 2010/11 demonstrates businesses, which use around 30 per cent of water in Sydney, see the financial and environmental benefits of being water wise,” Kirkwood said.

Best practice for commercial buildings / businesses

• Some of the ways in which Sydney Water’s large and small water users can save water include:
• Regular maintenance of water fixtures, with special attention to identifying and fixing leaks
• Replacing taps, shower heads, toilets and cyclic flowing urinals in amenities with more water efficient models
• Cutting cooling tower water consumption by monitoring consumption, fixing leaks, identifying alternative water supplies to cooling towers and alternative cooling methods, minimising heat loads on cooling towers by improving energy efficiency
• Saving water in kitchens and food courts by installing water efficient dishwashers, pre-rinsing dishes, using air cooled ice rather than water cooled, not thawing food under running water and for Asian style restaurants using waterless woks that were developed by Sydney Water.

Best practice for hotels

Kirkwood said studies of four and five star business hotels involved in Sydney’s business customer program showed a significant reduction in water use between 2005 and 2010.

“Sydney Water has helped hotels cut water use in guest rooms by 37 per cent over five years by encouraging simple changes such as installation of water efficient fixtures and careful monitoring of water use,” Kirkwood said.

To help hotels reduce water use, Sydney Water has:

• Developed a free online water use monitoring program to help facilities managers track water use in real time and identify spikes in water use that could indicate a leak
• Developed a staff training DVD to encourage employees to report leaks
• Developed best practice guidelines for hotels that outlines where the most water is used in the average hotel and identified where savings can most often be made.
• Improved water efficiency by helping hotels install water efficient taps, toilets and showerheads and monitoring water use closely to pick up potential leaks and fix them early before large volumes of water are wasted.

Best practice for aquatic centres

In May of this year Sydney Water officially released its Best practice guidelines for water management in aquatic leisure centres.

Kirkwood outlined the gains made so far, and the major areas covered by the new guidelines.

“Obviously water is an essential component of aquatic centre operation. Any guidance on water and energy efficiency can only assist the industry. The guidelines are full of research findings like the fact 36 per cent of water is used in pool make-up and backwashing filters and a staggering 22 per cent of water is, on average, lost through leaks.”

To help Aquatic Centers reduce water use, Sydney Water has developed better management practices, including monitoring water use, finding and fixing leaks, retrofitting existing amenities with efficient fixtures, and investing in alternative sources of water where economically feasible.

The guidelines also cover important steps such as managing leaks, achieving water quality with less treatment, saving water in filtration and make-up systems, reducing evaporation, improving amenities and managing wastewater. These improvements have also reduced the energy consumption of these facilities.

Kirkwood said Sydney Water is dedicated to helping its customers save water in their business or at home, as ultimately it will help to sustain Sydney’s water supply.

“Water efficiency is a key part of the Metropolitan Water Plan to secure greater Sydney’s drinking water supplies and Sydney Water will continue to work with businesses and householders to help them use water wisely and save on water bills.”

For more information on Sydney Water’s latest best practice guidelines visit www.sydneywater.com.au