Chapter 3 - Saving Water: Step by Step

Abstract

A holistic organizational approach is required to achieve sustainable reduction in water usage. A successful water management plan (WMP) needs to incorporate technical approaches and a systems approach. This is the key to achieving sustainable water conservation within a facility. A plan works best when it places sustainable water management in the context of an organization's overall approach to social and environmental responsibility. Without a systems approach, gains achieved through technical improvements are lost when management finds other priorities. WMP starts with seeking senior management commitment, appointing a water conservation manager, gathering baseline data and review usage, identifying improvement opportunities, preparing the plan giving priority to the opportunities and finally reporting the results. A systems approach ensures continuous improvement, eliminates ad hoc approaches and keeps the whole organization focused on achieving the policy objectives and informed of the progress towards targets. A successful WMP is part of a well-formulated water policy that aligns with the goals of the corporate plan and regulatory requirements, identifies and assigns responsibility to a person, sets targets for water use efficiency and minimizes pollution to reduce the overall environmental footprint, integrates water efficiency into the operations of the organization, addresses behavioral changes among employees, drives the development of water usage reporting systems and processes for collection of data, specifies the costs and benefits to the company of sustainable water, management and, and drives changes in how the organization interacts with contractors and suppliers. The chapter also lists the benefits of having a well-formulated WMP.