Water reviews, policies and action plans

Before you can design a structured plan to improve your business' overall water use, you must have a clear idea of how much water you are currently using and where it is being used. A water survey can help you answer the following questions:

• How much water are you using?
• Where is water used by your business?
• Are you using too much water?
• Are you paying too much in effluent charges?
• How have you tried to save water?
• How could you save more water?
• Is your business at a commercial disadvantage because your competitors already use water saving measures?

Carrying out a water use survey

Before carrying out a detailed water survey, you should carry out a brief initial survey to ensure that any potential water and effluent cost savings are worth investigating. Generally, reductions in water and effluent charges of 30 per cent are achievable.

An initial survey of water use and patterns of use typically reveals:

• excessive or unnecessary use
• unknown use
• unauthorised use

A survey of wastewater discharges and routes to sewer typically reveals:

• clean water discharges direct to sewer
• unauthorised surface water discharges to sewer
• possible savings in sewerage charges

It can be helpful to create a water balance to show where water enters and leaves your business and how it is used in between. This can help you identify areas where quick and simple savings can be made.

For more information about water surveys and how to check and benchmark your water use, see how to monitor your water use.