Conserving Water Use in Winter

Water conservation tends to be a priority during the warm weather months, when the effects of droughts are most obvious. However, water conservation needs to be a year-round goal.

Water is in short supply in many parts of the country. When you add in the costs and environmental effects of distributing water to facilities and then back to water treatment centers, the importance of water conservation becomes obvious.

Follow these five tips from Waterless Co. Inc. to save water and cut costs in your facility this winter:

1. Educate water users on the importance of conservation. Many people think they just need to conserve in the summer because that’s when people use the most water. But water consumption is still significant in the winter because more people are inside.
2. Install sensors to irrigation systems. Sensors detect when precipitation is present, turning off programmed irrigation systems and preventing unnecessary irrigation.
3. Know where the shutoff valve is so you can quickly turn off water when pipes freeze. During the winter months, millions of gallons of water are wasted when pipes freeze.
4. Keep building temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit (F), especially in schools and other facilities closed for prolonged periods during the winter. Shut off the building water supply to further ensure pipes do not burst.
5. Upgrade to water-efficient fixtures, such as no-water and water-efficient restroom fixtures.