Industries
Please note that these suggested measures are not intended to supercede more stringent state, tribal, or local health and safety regulations.
General Practices
General Practices
- Appoint a water efficiency coordinator.
- Educate and involve employees in water efficiency efforts.
- As equipment wears out, replace with water saving models.
- Install high-pressure, low-volume nozzles on spray washers.
- Install inline strainers on all spray headers and inspect nozzles regularly for clogging.
- Install ultra-low flow toilets, adjust flush valves, or install dams on existing toilets.
- Replace high-volume hoses with high-pressure, low-volume cleaning systems.
- Adjust flow in sprays and other lines to meet minimum requirements.
- Adjust overflows from recirculation systems by controlling the rate at which make-up water is added:
- Install float-controlled valve on the make-up line
- Close filling line during operation
- Provide surge tanks for each system to avoid overflow.
- Detect and repair all leaks.
- Discontinue using water to clean sidewalks, driveways, loading docks, and parking lots.
- Handle waste materials in a dry mode where possible.
- Identify discharges that may be reused and implement reuse practices. Some discharges with potential for reuse are:
- Boiler makeup
- Bottle and can soak and rinse water
- cooler flush water, filter backwash
- Equipment cleaning
- Final rinses from tank cleaning, keg washers, fermenters
- Final rinses in wash cycles
- Floor and gutter wash
- Pasteurizer and sterilizer water
- Refrigeration equipment defrost
- Turn off all flows during shutdowns. Use solenoid valves to stop the flow of water when production stops.
- Use fogging nozzles to cool products.
- Wash vehicles less often, or use a commercial car wash that recycles water.