Water used in hospitality and food service establishments account for approximately 15 percent of the total water use in commercial and institutional facilities in the United States. The largest uses of water in restaurants are associated with equipment and processes that take place in the kitchen. Restrooms follow kitchens as the second highest water use in restaurants. Data obtained from the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer, American Water Works Association (AWWA), AWWA Research Foundation, and East Bay Municipal Utility District produced the Business Case for Water Efficiency study. We learned that over the past 10 years, the costs of water and wastewater services have risen at a rate well above the consumer price index. Restaurant owners can expect these and other utility costs to continue to increase in order to offset the costs of replacing aging water supply systems.

A number of studies have been done in attempts to calculate typical sit-down restaurant’s water bills and usage. Restaurants water usage is implemented in every aspect of the business. It is involved in the kitchen, dishwashing, landscaping, cooling and heating, domestic, restrooms, etc. One aspect that is commonly put aside, yet very common and problematic, is leaks within a restaurant. This can account for a 10% rise in overall water bills, adding 200 gallons a day to the already high price and usage. Approximately 3,000 to 7,000 gallons of water are being used per day, averaging to about 5,800 gallons per day. For a bigger picture of this, about 24 gallons of water per seat per day were also calculated. At quick serve restaurants, the number of gallons per seat were higher, while only using one third of the overall average amounts. These numbers lead to the whopping minimum of 2 million gallons of water usage annually. At larger restaurants, the number could potentially double.

Operating costs and environmental impacts are influenced by water use. Industry estimates suggest that implementing water-efficient practices in commercial facilities can decrease operating costs by approximately 11 percent and energy and water use by 10 and 15 percent, respectively. Since food service facilities use hot water for many tasks, reducing water use can provide real benefits by decreasing energy bills. To maximize savings on utility bills, restaurant owners can benefit from assessing some of the most water-intensive equipment used in kitchens. Equipment such as dipper wells and wok stoves, for example, can use quite a bit of water due to a continuous flow.

If it is necessary to replace existing food service equipment, upgrading this equipment with water-efficient models can save money, with a relatively short payback period. The first step in saving money on your water bill is to install a Flosaver valve by pbH2o solutions. Call today for a free evaluation.