Water

Water Conservation

1. Conduct a water use audit to identify conservation opportunities.

• Water Audit Guidelines
• Water Efficiency Manual for Commercial, Industrial and Institutional Facilities from the State of North Carolina

Action: Provide results from your facility’s water audit.  Describe actions you will implement to reduce water.

2. Install water efficient equipment, appliances, and plumbing fixtures.

• Visit WaterSense for information on low-flow plumbing fixtures, aerators, on-demand faucets, dual flush toilets, waterless urinals and other water efficient plumbing fixtures.

Action: Describe actions and include results (e.g. gallons of water conserved) and cost savings where available.

3. Optimize water use for heating and cooling systems.

• Eliminate single pass or once-through cooling systems.
• Minimize water loss from cooling towers.
• Ensure that boilers and steam-generating systems operate efficiently.

Action: Describe actions and include results (e.g. gallons of water conserved) and cost savings where available.

4. Eliminate non-critical cleaning processes and maximize dry cleanup where feasible.

• Optimize production sequencing and scheduling to reduce cleaning.
• Where feasible, use dry cleanup processes (sweeping, squeegees, etc.) rather than hosing down floors and other surfaces. Use high-pressure, low-volume water nozzles when you do need to use water for cleanup.
• Wash fleet vehicles only when necessary and use a car wash facility that recycles water.

Action: Describe actions and include results (e.g. gallons of water conserved) and cost savings where available.

5. Use harvested rain water for non-potable use (e.g. flushing toilets) or landscape irrigation.

• Rain Barrel Installation Instructions
• How to Build a Rain Barrel
• Rain Barrel Installation and Use

Action: Describe actions and include results (e.g. gallons of water conserved) and cost savings where available.

6. Landscape with native and drought-resistant plants and minimize turf.

• Use plants native to New Jersey
• Going Native: A Guide to Landscaping with Native Plants in the Barnegat Bay Watershed

Action: Describe actions and include results (e.g. gallons of water conserved) and cost savings where available.

7.   Optimize irrigation systems.

• Limit irrigation areas.
• Identify and repair leaks.
• Adjust irrigation schedules to account for seasonal rain variation or use rain gauges.

Action: Describe actions and include results (e.g. gallons of water conserved) and cost savings where available.

Water

Stormwater Management & Site Design

(Note that for some facilities, stormwater and spill prevention plans and measures are a regulatory requirement.) 

1. Reduce stormwater runoff through landscape design, reduction of impervious surfaces, and green infrastructure.

• Green infrastructure to manage stormwater (including rain gardens, rain barrels, green roofs, permeable pavement, and harvesting rainwater)
• NJStormwater Manual

Action: Describe projects implemented to reduce stormwater runoff.

2.  Keep pollutants out of storm drains and waterways.

• Store equipment and materials indoors or undercover.
• Routinely check paved surfaces for possible oil leaks from company vehicles.
• Educate employees to ensure “Only rain down the drain!”
• Plug floor drains in maintenance shops so that spills don’t discharge to stormwater drains or check with your local government about redirecting drains to the sanitary sewer system.
• Keep spill containment kits on site and accessible. Include them in your fleet vehicles if appropriate.

Action: Describe projects implemented to keep pollutants out of storm drains and waterways.

3.  Implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices.

• IPM uses preventive strategies and natural predators as an alternative to pesticides and herbicides
• IPM Information - This bulletin provides a basic definition and description of IPM.
• For additional information and assistance contact Tim Boyle, Environmental Specialist 2 and IPM Coordinator at the NJ Department of Environmental Protection at (609) 984-6908.

Action: Describe Integrated Pest Management practices that were implemented.

4.   Apply fertilizer only when necessary and at minimum rates.

• Use native plants.
• Limit fertilization of grass to once a year (summer for Bermuda and zoysia grasses, fall for all other grass types.)
• Keep fertilizer off of paved surfaces to prevent it from entering a storm drain.
• NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s Healthy Lawns Healthy Water

Action: Describe actions taken to minimize or eliminate the use of fertilizer.

5.   Use best management practices to control ice on paved surfaces.

• Alternatives to Salt

Action: Describe actions taken to reduce the use of salt on paved surfaces to control ice.