Water audits

Businesses

Saving Water: It's just good business

Using water efficiently is not just good for Waukesha and the environment; it's a smart business strategy. Reducing your water use can save you money on your water, wastewater and energy bills and cut on-site treatment costs. Every business is a little different, but a water audit is an easy way to start.

Water audits provide a way to inventory all water uses in your facility and identify ways to increase water use efficiency. The results can help you prioritize steps to implement cost-effective water-saving measures.

  • Step One – Gather data such as maps showing locations and equipment where water is used, water bills and consumption data, equipment manuals and so on
  • Step Two – Walk through your facility and verify water uses, estimate hours and rate of use, look for leaks and ways to reduce water use
  • Step Three – Compare estimated water use with consumption data from water bills
  • Step Four – Estimate costs of fixture change-outs, new equipment or new processes and compare with estimated savings for water, wastewater and energy to calculate potential payback period
  • Step Five – Prepare a summary of recommended actions and implementation schedule for those actions that make economic sense

 More information on water audits is available from the following Web-sites or call the Waukesha Water Utility at (262) 521-5272.

 Alliance for Water Efficiency

American Water Works Association - Free water audit tool

Homes

Conducting a household water audit

What is a household water audit?

A household water audit is an assessment of how much water is used and how much water can be saved in the home. Conducting a water audit involves calculating water use and identifying simple ways for saving water in the home.

What are the benefits of conducting a water audit?

Conducting a water audit can help you save money by reducing your home water bill (and sewer bill if you are connected to a public sewer system). Conducting a water audit will make you aware of how you use your water and help to identify ways you can minimize water use by implementing certain conservation measures. It is possible to cut your water usage by as much as 30 percent by implementing simple conservation measures and without drastically modifying your lifestyle.

How do I calculate water usage in my home?

It is important to realize that water use throughout the year often varies with the season. Most people use more water in the warmer months for gardening, washing cars, and other outdoor uses. If you conduct your water audit in the winter or fall, you should still consider the additional water you use in the summer months. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) estimates that the average indoor water use per person is 94 gallons of water per day; this does not take into account outdoor water use (watering lawns, washing cars).

Calculating Water Use from Your Water Bill

Using information that is available on your water bill, you can calculate daily water use by dividing the total amount of water used by the number of days in the billing period.

 More information on water audits is available from the following Web-sites or call the Waukesha Water Utility at (262) 521-5272.

California Urban Water Conservation Council

EPA WaterSense