Business organisations in manufacturing can adopt a 5-step process to conserve water. While a manufacturing organisation achieves the best results by adopting all 5 practises. Implementing each practice will have a significant impact on the organisation’s overall water consumption.
Table of Contents
1. Establish A Water Conservation Department
The water conservation department includes professionals with immaculate experience of the on-site manufacturing process. These individuals can identify singular techniques that advocate water conservation at each level of the manufacturing process. Potential candidates include factory operation area managers, wastewater treatment professionals, and external experts. The manufacturing company can get expert advice from industry professionals, local government environment experts, and government agencies to make intelligent decisions.
2. Identify On-Site Water Consumption Trends For Each Department
The starting point for your organisation’s water conservation department is to collect precedent and current water consumption data from your business water supplier. Minimum requirement is to collect at least one year’s prior water bills. Water consumption trends change each month because of operational activities and your business should be able to identify these trends. The changes in the weather from one month to another impact water consumption to meet heating and cooling needs.
Next, the water conservation department must identify current water consumption trends for each department and identify potential water conservation opportunities. Consider developing a water consumption diagram that identifies water consumption across various departments. To help make the process productive for the entire organisation, consider including other input and output variables crucial for the facility’s operation. An organisational water consumption diagram should include:
- Water consumption for operation-critical industrial processes
- Water quality requirements for each department
- Distinguish departmental volume of water consumption and discharge
- Identify existing water meter locations and recommend additional water meter installations at key locations
These factors will play a crucial role in the organisation’s successful implementation of a water conservation plan as the organisation thrives.
3. Install Water Meters At Key Locations
Most industries have three types of water meter installations on their premises.
- Main Water Meter: The main water supply point of the business organisation has a main water meter installation. In most cases, the water meter is the property of the water supplier. The water supplier uses it for billing and water supply management.
- Sub Meters: The business organisation or its water supplier might require the installation of sub meters on specific water supply locations. The water consumption diagram can help identify potential installations for a water sub meter if your organisation does not have one already.
- Water Flow Meters: The manufacturing plant can install water flow meters based on their discretion. Flow meters conveniently compile data that can help the organisation change and achieve a higher efficiency.
4. Set Industrial Water Conservation Goals & Measure Performance
The manufacturing organisation can set water conservation goals based on the following data:
- Water conservation goals set forth by your organisation’s water conservation department
- Current water consumption trends
- The size of your manufacturing business
- Business expansion opportunities
The organisation can keep track of the progress of each water conservation goal based on:
- Volume of water consumption per unit of product
- The facility’s per square metre water consumption
- Total volume of water savings
- Cost of a set volume of water
Set a ‘base year’ as the reference point for all water conservation goals and try to improve performance in consideration of the base year. Consider comparing data for different timeframes (for example, monthly, 5 years, or 10 years) to get a better comprehension of the achievement of industrial water conservation goals.
