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Water-saving initiatives for your cafe
The following list of water-saving devices gave cafes a good starting point to determine how they would spend the money they raised from the Drink For Change campaign. However these devices could be used in many business sectors.
A number of actions that will save water and cost nothing are also listed below.
For more assistance on the best actions for your business' specific needs, please contact the Drink For Change team on 03 8662 5480 or via email.
| Water Saving Device1 | Cost (ex.GST)++ |
| Taps | |
| Aerator2 - reduce the flow rate of your tap to between 6-9L per minute | $6 - $9 |
| Aerator service tool - enable you to install aerators on your taps without the assistance of a plumber | $12 |
| Inline flow regulator - fitted down the pipe to monitor and adjust the water pressure to automatically control the water flow and reduce the water used | $17 - $20 |
| Swivel device for kitchen - fitting that will increases the pressure and reduces the flow rate of your kitchen tap to 9L per minute and swivels so that you can rinse your entire sink | $15 |
| Trigger spray arm tap - tap fitting that will allow you to rinse your dishes more efficiently and precisely using a trigger nozzle and flexible arm | $440 - $1200 |
| Sensor tap - hand-washing tap that operates by sensor minimizing | $450 - 900 |
| Single lever mixer tap - facilitates efficient mixing of hot and cold water | $45 - $300 |
| High pressure water cleaner - allows you to clean equipment or a surface with a higher water pressure minimizing the amount of water used | $140 |
| Low flow pre-rinse spray valve - a low flow, high pressure valve that enables efficient removal of food waste from dishes prior to cleaning in a dishwasher | $215 |
| Flood stop valve3 - installed between the tap or the hose of your dishwasher or clothes washing machine to shut off the water flow if the hose bursts or slips off the tap | $25 |
| Water-saving showerhead - reduces the flow of water through your showerhead | $0 - $60* |
| Toilets | |
| Toilet leak detection kit - non-toxic tablets that are placed in the cistern, then dissolve and dye the water blue. If blue water appears in the bowl, there is a leak and you should contact a plumber | $4 |
| Water displacement device for single and dual flush toilets - plastic bladder that you fill with water and insert in toilet cistern. It will displace up to 2L per flush | $7 |
| Cistern weight (flush stopper)3 - when installed, this will allow the toilet to flush only when the button is held down | $13 - $15 |
| Dual flush toilet - toilets with the option of half (3L) or full (4.5 or 6L) flush | $330 - $970 |
| Dual flush toilet with hand basin - toilets with the option of half (3L) or full (4.5 or 6L) flush with an area above the cistern used as a handbasin | $700 - $800 |
| Waterless urinal - urinals that do not require water in the flushing process and instead use biodegradable cleaning products | $750-$800 |
| Awareness Raising | |
| Professional water audit - an audit of your workplace to assist you to identify water-saving opportunities | $150 - $350 |
| Water conservation signage - to remind staff to report leaks, turn taps off, and general water conservation messages | $0 - $20 |
| Water Recycling, Harvesting & Measurement | |
| Grey-water system - system that allows you to re-use the rinse cycles of dishwashers, washing machines and hand washing for use in the garden and/or toilet flushing | $500 - $2500 |
| Rainwater tank - for collecting rainwater that can then be used for the garden and/or toilet flushing | $450 - $2500 |
| Rainwater controller - switches between mains water supply and rainwater, depending on use | $850 |
| Water sub meter - a meter that allows you to measure how much water is being used by a piece of equipment or in a particular area of the business | $15 - $250 |
| Watersave Smart Metering System - a metering system that manages water usage in real-time over the internet providing an early leak detection service, and enabling emergency shutdown of water. | From $1500# |
| Chili PepperTM hot water saver - a pump that recirculates cold water back through existing pipes until it is hot. This saves water while waiting for it to get hot | $470 |
| Water Efficient Appliances | |
| Water cooler/purifier4 - plumbed-in system that allows unlimited access to purified, chilled water | From $2800 Rental from $3/day |
| Waterless wok - air-cooled wok stove that is fitted with a water spout that cuts off water supply when it is not in use | From $2800 |
| Dishwasher - a water efficient commercial option | From $4000 |
| Washing machine - a water efficient commercial option | From $1500 |
| Ice machine - Ice-making machine that uses an air-cooled system rather than water | From $4000 |
| Glass washer - a water efficient commercial option | $2500-$3500 |
2.The prices indicated are a guide only and don't include installation. For further information on how to install these devices please see below.
3.These products and their installation are available to Drink For Change registered cafes at a reduced price through Aqua Wizz Pty Ltd. See your registration pack for more details.
4.These products are available to Drink For Change registered cafes at a reduced price through Clever Water Australia Pty Ltd. See your registration pack for more details.
++ Cost per unit device | * Or contact your water authority to exchange your showerhead for free. | # includes web access and license in first year.
Water-saving actions
There are also many water-saving actions that won't cost you a cent. You can begin implementing these in your cafe straight away.
- Encourage all staff to report leaking taps and fix promptly. Signage can help with this. A visibly leaking cistern could be wasting 50,000 litres of water a year. A tap dripping once per second wastes about 30 litres of water every day.
- Start a system to regularly monitor and record water usage before and after a weekend or in the evening and the next morning to determine whether your cafe has any leaks.
- Ensure that dishwashers, glass washers and washing machines are only run when loads are full and avoid unnecessary rinsing.
- Use a broom and mop to clean floors, not a hose.
- Insulate hot water pipes and keep their length to a minimum - water is wasted while waiting for it to get hot.
- Reduce the temperature of hot water heaters to lessen the amount of mixing needed to be done in order to achieve a temperature that won't scald your skin.
- Put timers on hot water heaters and urns so they are not heating water out of hours.
- In-sink waste disposal units use water when operating and mix waste water with food scraps. Put your organic kitchen waste in a compost heap or worm farm instead.
- Don't use water to accelerate thawing of food.
- Don't use running water to wash vegetables etc. Use a basin and refill/rinse as necessary. Use rinse water on garden.
- Use grey water from clothes washing machines to water the garden.
- Using native drought resistant plants in your garden that require less water is a simple way to significantly reduce your water use. Don't forget that watering any plants or grass should be done with recycled water if possible. Watering in the early morning or evening also reduces evaporation.
Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS)
When purchasing tap equipment, flow controllers, toilets, urinals, clothes washing machines, dishwashers and other appliances, look for the Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS) label on the product. The label will show the star rating (up to 6 stars) and the water consumption or flow rate. The higher the star rating the more water efficient the product will be. For more information on this please visit the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme website.
Supporters:
Aqua Wizz provided discounts on their pressure compensating flow controllers and on installation services.
Clever Water provided a 12.5% discount on the rental or purchase of any of their products including free installation.
Cliffy's Emporium is set in an old grocery store down the road from the Daylesford railway station and next door to Wombat nursery.
CERES Cafe serving sensational organic food and wine in an urban bush setting.
Rod Barbey and the team at Bcoz Organic Dining were leading campaign supporters. Bcoz shares a culture of caring about the environment and a belief that restaurants and cafes can assist in spreading the message to local communities.
Photos from flickr that are tagged 'Melbourne', 'cafe' and 'water'.
Who was behind it?
Drink For Change is brought to you by Grow Me The Money, a free program helping Victorian businesses save money and reduce their impact on the environment.
