In a restaurant, water is a precious resource for business operations. Hot water, especially, is vital to running a clean and safe business in the food and beverage industry. Besides using it to cook, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of plates, bowls and silverware that need to be cleaned and sanitized for reuse. There is also toilet water, sink water and ice that contribute to a restaurant’s overall water consumption. Since most water used by a restaurant is generally hot water, due to the ever present need to wash dishes and pans, that makes consumption that much more expensive. In order to make an efficient, concerted effort to reduce water consumption in a restaurant establishment, it is recommended that a water management plan be put in place. This plan can include improvements to a number of restaurant appliances such as dishwashers, garbage disposals and ice machines. There are common ways to save water, especially in commercial building use, by installing water faucet sensors and low flow toilets. However, the return on investment could be longer than other practices, especially with toilets. Here are six other ways to reduce water consumption in a restaurant.

1. Use more efficient dishwasher spray heads: By checking with your manufacturer to see if more efficient spray heads can be installed, or if flow regulators can be installed, water consumption will decrease immediately. With an initial investment of $200, the payback is realized in less than five months.

2. Install a dishwasher sensing gate: Ensuring that water flow stops when no
dishes are in the washer will save water. Install a sensing arm, or ware gate that will detect the presence of dishes and shut off water when there are none in the washer. 225,000 gallons of water can be saved and the cost of $1,200 can be paid back in about five months.

3. Replace water-cooled ice machines with air-cooled units: You can also retrofit
with air cooled condensers where possible. For establishments with ice machines,
walk-in coolers and freezers annual water savings are about $5,820. With over one million gallons of water saved, return on investment is realized in about fifteen months.

4. Retrofit once-through water cooled refrigeration units, air conditioners, and
ice machines: Retrofit by using temperature controls and a recirculating water
loop system. For establishments with roughly three water-cooled refrigerators
and two ice machines, 5.3 million gallons of water a year can be saved. That is
$26,500 a year in savings and with an initial investment of about $27,000, return
on investment will come in about a year.

5. Serve water to customers only if they request it and provide beverages in manufacturer’s bottles or cans: So much water gets wasted from unnecessary servings that providing only on request will give you instant savings since there is no initial cost. Limiting glass and cup use by providing bottles or cans is wise as well.

6. Use water basins to defrost food or presoak utensils or dishes: Again, basically no investment except in a basin and instant savings on water consumption.