Water Wisdom: How Hotels Can Save Lots of Money and H2O

In our last post we discussed three major areas where hotel owners can save money and the earth’s natural resources at the same time. Those areas included water and power conservation along with reducing material waste.

Considering the current importance of water conservation with drought and looming shortages, this week we’ll dive deeper into the topic of how the hospitality industry can save water and money. The task of reducing a hotel’s water use seems like a daunting one, but luckily the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its WaterSense program provide numerous helpful resources specifically for hotels. Let’s get started!

Why water conservation is important to your business
Hotels and other lodging businesses account for 15% of water used commercially in the U.S. That’s a sizeable chunk, but with it comes great opportunity to make a difference–not just in our fresh water supply but in your business’s bottom line. With consistently rising water prices and the looming scarcity of fresh water, focusing on conservation is one of the smartest business decision you can make.

How to start saving water and money
The best way to get started is to read the helpful materials provided by the EPA and WaterSense, and then make a plan. Below are some links to start with:

• First, check out the EPA’s fact sheet for hotels. This fact sheet breaks down the end uses of water in hotels and provides some helpful tips.
• The WaterSense page for hotels provides a helpful to-do list.
• Be sure to read the EPA’s WaterSense at Work: Best Management Practices for Commercial and Institutional Facilities, which goes into much greater detail.

Water conservation is a multistep and multiphase, ongoing process. The seven basic steps include:

1. Make a commitment to saving water
2. Assess your water use
3. Set and communicate water saving goals
4. Create an action plan
5. Implement the action plan
6. Evaluate progress
7. Recognize achievement

In order from least to greatest use, hotels split water use between pools, cooling and heating, kitchen and dishwashing, landscaping, laundry, and domestic/restroom needs. Many water-saving changes can be made in each of these areas. Because 30% of hotel water goes to domestic/restroom needs, updates here can really make a difference.

For example, the fact sheet explains how a hotel in San Antonio was able to save 7 million gallons of water, $35,000, and countless guest room maintenance calls per year just by upgrading restrooms with water-saving toilets, showerheads, and faucet aerators.

Make a commitment, take the challenge

Join many other water-wise hotel owners by signing up for the WaterSense H2Otel Challenge.The challenge asks you to “ACT”–that’s assess your use and where to save, change your practices, and track progress. Find helpful tools here, check out case studies, and even sign up for the “A for Assess: Setting Goals and Developing a Water Management Plan” webinar, which will take place August 27 at 11 a.m. Pacific.

Saving water is crucial, but it’s not something you have to tackle all at once. With smart manageable steps, you can make a big impact on your hotel’s water use and money savings over the long-term.

Interested in chatting about how you can implement a water-saving plan for your hotel? Reach out to HMG Hospitality. Our forward-thinking team can help you get started on earth-friendly initiatives that will save you money and draw in eco-conscious clients. 

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