he hospitality industry is one of the most water-intensive businesses in the commercial sector. This may explain why the hotel industry was an early adopter of watersaving fixtures such as low-flow showerheads (which was not without its ups and downs). And long before “green” was hot, many hotels appealed to their guests to reuse their towels, reducing the water and energy load in the laundry room. But, in contrast to these efficiency efforts in the guest room, the hotel kitchen operates in a world of water waste.

In commercial foodservice, water has been looked upon as an unlimited resource. We turn on the faucet, and water flows. In fact, we turn on the “tap” more often than any other culture, often failing to turn it off when we have satisfied our need. Next time you open a faucet, think about how much water goes down the drain compared with how much water you actually use or need. How much water does it really take to thaw seafood in a prep sink?

Commercial customers purchase water from a local utility by the unit, where one unit is equal to 100 cubic feet (CF) or 748 gallons. There is also a charge for the water dumped down the drain, otherwise known as a “sewer” charge. Because wastewater from commercial foodservice operations requires more treatment, this sewer charge can be several times greater than the cost of the water itself in many urban municipalities. So every drop wasted is billed twice. And if the water is heated, the price tag has three components: water, sewer, and energy.

A small leak from a cold water tap, say 0.2 gallons per minute (gpm), may seem insignificant. But over the day, almost 300 gallons has been wasted. If the leak persists over the year, that’s 100,000 gallons wasted— at a cost of $700 in water and sewer charges (based on $2 per unit for water and $3 per unit for sewer). If this was a hot water faucet, the cost would be doubled based on the energy required to heat this water. Repairing a leaky faucet is as simple as replacing a washer. Maintenance pays.

7 TIPS TO HELP SAVE $$$$

1.The lowest-hanging fruit.
The easiest and most cost effective watersaving measure to implement in the hotel kitchen is to install low-flow pre-rinse spray valves in the dishroom. The pre-rinse sprayer is used to knock residual food off dirty dishes before running them through the dishwasher. In the past, these spray valves were designed to flow water anywhere between 2.5 gpm to as much as 5.0 gpm. Replacing these water-wasting devices with a new generation low-flow sprayer (operating below 1.6 gpm) could save an operation from $100 to $400 per month, depending on actual usage. That’s a great return on a fixture that costs about $60. Check the Food Service Technology Center (FSTC) website (www.fishnick.com) for a list of qualified low-flow sprayers.

2. Dish machines—less is more.
A dishwasher is a major capital expense and not one that is replaced often. But when it’s time to replace it, be prudent about specifying a unit that is miserly with its water (and energy). Before the end of the year, the EPA will introduce an Energy Star rating for commercial dish machines.

3. Steamers—cut the connection.
When it’s time for a new compartment steamer, specify a “connectionless” Energy Star rated model. This new generation of pressureless steamers has a sealed cavity without a drain so they do not dump condensed steam down the drain. Conventional steamers can use anywhere from 20 to 150 gallons of water per hour, while an Energy Star model uses a few gallons. In one field test conducted by the FSTC, a three-pan connectionless steamer saved about $2,000 in water and $3,000 in electricity annually over its conventional predecessor.

4. Combi ovens—don’t be careless.
Combination oven-steamers are versatile appliances that have become mainstream in the hotel kitchen because of their versatility and production capabilities. But be careful. If this oven is used without discretion in its “combi” mode, it can be very wasteful of both water and energy.

5. Ice machines—choose wisely.
Ice machines can either be air cooled or water cooled. A medium-sized, 500-pound ice machine can use more than a 1,000 gallons per day for just cooling and could cost you about $2,500 more per year than an equivalent air-cooled machine. Only if you install the ice machine on the hotel’s chilled water loop does a water-cooled machine make sense.

6. Don’t get hosed.
The hose is used in every kitchen to clean floors, mats, shipping and receiving areas, and parking lots. A heavy-duty hose can deliver anywhere from 10 to 20 gpm, so judicious use is a wise practice. Every hose should be outfitted with a high-pressure nozzle, which makes it much more effective while using less water.

7. Bring in the experts.
In many U.S. locations, a free audit is available from the local water utility to help get a watersaving program on track.

Water efficiency can be a huge ingredient for a green kitchen, but it’s necessary to plug the “drain” and reap the credit. Is there an economic incentive? Nationwide, the cost of water is increasing faster than inflation. I believe your investment in water conservation will pay off.