[GREN-Exec] Region's Water saving workshop this morning for business

[Susan Koswan]

Hi GREN Exec,

 

Thought I would share some of the points I found most interesting from this
morning - you may know it already. 

 

One of our instructors got us to register for a Water Saving Workshop for
Business that was organized by the Region. .

 

Main driver from all the speakers was how businesses could save money. Kept
emphasizing that payback from water usage reduction averages about a year to
year and a half. Water rates are exceeding inflation rate

 

An interesting speaker from Enviro Stewards in Elmira, Bruce Taylor, said
you need a systems approach - that you can't look at reducing energy use
without reducing water use and have to make sure you're not creating another
problem. They harvest rainwater into their building in Elmira that feeds a
green wall and they use no outside air! He mentioned they were beside a
chemical factory (not by name) so perhaps they didn't want any outside air. 

 

Lots of talk about grey water, and looking at ways where "waste" heat is
created and redirected to where it's needed. 

 

Wayne somebody from the Region talked about the WET program
http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/aboutTheEnvironment/WET-Program-for-busine
ss.asp with all the cost-sharing available for companies to do a water audit
and implementation of water reduction initiatives. Maximum of $10,000 per
company. 

 

He mentioned the pipeline had been pushed off to 2050 or thereabouts - I
guess this is virtually off the table, but still a possibility. Other rebate
programmes for sewer, stormwater and from the province. 

 

Different types of water softeners - ion exchange and template assisted
crystallization anti scale 

 

Water efficiency needs a champion in each company

 

Heavy push for sub-metering - eg in townhouse complexes, each unit would
have a meter to measure use, instead of one for the whole complex - same can
apply for different parts of a company facility

 

Defective toilet flapper valves are big area for water loss

 

Andrew Coppolino talked about challenge in restaurant industry to reduce
water use - they're operating on slim profit margins and no time or
knowledge of programs - they have things like perpetual flow sinks, running
water to defrost food, cleaning food, dishwashers and those hand spray
things before stuff goes in dishwasher, steam systems - even waterglasses or
pitchers that no one ever finishes and then water just gets tossed - it all
adds up. He's been able to "sell" some larger restaurants on water
conservation that have resulted in savings of $2700/yr  and 6,400 cubic
meters of water on average

 

Chicopee created a storm water pond that they use to make snow - water is
colder than municipal so less energy required (I never asked them about what
they do when the water freezes, but I guess it never fully freezes and they
can access it below the ice) 

 

Krauss carpeting changed their water softeners and have saved huge amount of
water

 

Clean Cut Energy - again reinforced the need for sub-metering - has a big
effect on behaviour change when people realize how much they're paying 

- top of the line submeters now have no moving parts and can be wireless to
access data on water usage remotely 

 

Toilet leaks again emphasized as big water loss - payback under 2 years with
toilet replacement 

 

There were about 60 people attending, including the 9 from my class. 

 

That's about it. 8-)

 

Susan K 

 

 

 

 

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