How to perform a Commercial Water Audit

1. How to Perform a Commercial
Water Audit
Instructor: Troy Aichele
“Before they bought it, they did an audit”

2. Objectives
Identify skills necessary to perform a Commercial Water
Audit
Using tools given in class, learn how to perform your
own Commercial Water Audit by identifying water saving
opportunities
Learn how to estimate Payback Periods for
recommended Water Saving concepts
Learn how to write a Commercial Water Audit Report
2

3. Plan for the Day
Water Audit: Who, What, When, Where and Why
Case Studies
How to Perform a Water Audit
How to Calculate Water Audit Payback Periods
How to Write a Water Audit Report
Tips, Strategies, and Lessons Learned
Final Questions / Evaluations
3

4. Water Audits
Who, What, When,
Where and Why?
5 Minutes
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10. 10

11. The Cost of Water and
Sewer / 100 Gallons
Olympia, WA: $1.00
San Diego, CA: $1.38
Boston, MA: $1.05
El Paso, TX: $0.60
Omaha, NE: $0.53
Geneva, Switzerland: $1.95
Glasgow, UK: $2.86
Las Vegas, NV: $0.80
Source: “The World’s Water 2008-2009” by Peter H. Gleick
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12. 12

13. Utility Rate Trends…
Utility Rate Trends 10 %
10%
$9.00
$8.00
$7.00
$6.00
$5.00
$4.00
$3.00
$2.00
Water
Peak
$1.00 Water
$/CCF
$-
Waste
Sewer
$/CCF
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
13 Year

14. Utility Rate Trends…
10 %
10%
$9.00
Chicago (Water and Sewer Rates)
Utility Rate Trends
$8.00
15% in 2008
$7.00
$6.00 15% in 2009
$5.00
14% in 2010
$4.00
$3.00
•USA average for 2007 was 6.1%
$2.00 (Source: NUS Consulting)
Water
Peak
$1.00 Water
$/CCF
$-
Waste
Sewer
$/CCF
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
14 Year

15. 15

16. Utility Rate Trend Impacts
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17. U.S. average Water
Footprint per person
per day: 70-100 GPD
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18. 19

19. Increase in Waste Water Treatment
Capacities (Brightwater)
20 Cost: $1.84 Billion

20. Drought / Overuse
The U.S. EPA reports at least 36 states are anticipating local,
regional or statewide water shortages by 2013—even under
non-drought conditions
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27. 28

28. Sewer mining is the process of tapping into a sewer (either before
or after the sewage treatment plant) and extracting sewage, which
is then treated and used as recycled water. Some sewer mining
by-products may be acceptable for return to the sewerage system.
Recycled water is treated so it’s safe to use. Recycled water
produced from a sewer mining operation is commonly used to
irrigate sports fields, parks and golf courses. It can also be used in
some commercial buildings and industrial sites.
New Water Sources:
Sewer mining reduces the stress on waterways by capturing some
Sewer Mining
of the nutrients that would otherwise be discharged from sewage
treatment plants. The demand for drinking water can be
significantly reduced, by replacing it with recycled water made
available through sewer mining processes.
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31. 32

32. 21st Century Water Auditor
33

33. Water Audit Case
Studies
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34. 35

35. 340 Bed Acute
Outpatient Care
Facility
750,000 SF Total Floor
Space
2300 Employees
723 Fixture upgrades
were performed in the
first 3 months of 2009
35

36. 2008/09 Water Consumption
Comparison (Per 1000 Gallons)
Month 2009 2008 Change
January 2,278.51 2,712.52 -16.00%
February 2,244.36 2,470.48 -9.15%
March 2,431.76 2,691.75 -9.66%
April 2,248.70 2,672.24 -15.85%
May 2,688.21 3,094.76 -13.14%
June 2,874.65 3,272.56 -12.16%
Totals: 14,766.19 16,914.31 -12.70%
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37. 2008/09 Water Consumption
Comparison (Per 1000 Gallons)
Month 2009 2008 Change
July 3,227 3,610 -10.6%
August 3,181 3,480 -8.59%
September 2,814 3,058 -7.97%
October 2,517 2,599 -3.16%
November 2,256 2,400 -6.02%
December 2,276 2,421 -5.96 %
Totals: 16,321 17,568 -7.1%
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38. Retrofit Installation
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39. Retrofit Installation
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40. Retrofit Installation
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41. How to Perform a
Commercial Water Audit
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42. Typical Water Usage Breakdown
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43. Collect General Information
Obtain Utility Rates (1 Year Minimum)
– Water and Waste (CCF)
– Electric (kWh)
– Natural Gas
(therm)
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45. 48

46. 49

47. 49

48. Compare Benchmarks
Water Use / Square Foot / Year Comparisons
120
100
80
Gallons
60
40
20
0
0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000
Hospital Size (Square Feet)
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49. On-Site Audit Preparation
Schedule Audit with Facility Manager
Review collected utility bills
Research rebates for city, county, state
Assemble Audit Tools
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50. On-Site Audit Preparation
Find Rebates
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52. On-Site Audit Preparation
Audit Tools
Fixture Replacement Tick Sheet
Stop Watch
Water Drip Calculator
Question List
Rebate Flyers
Tools (Screwdriver, Wrenches, Etc.)
Flashlight and Mirror
Camera (Still and Video)
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53. 55

54. 56

55. Example Question List
(1 of 2)
1. How many water meters serve your facility?
2. Do you have one that is dedicated to irrigation?
3. Has your facility ever been audited for water
efficiency in the past?
4. What is the building occupancy trend over the
duration of the billing data obtained?
5. Have you found any leaks over the course of the
building period?
6. Do you perform your own Laundry services?
7. Do you have an industrial Dishwasher?
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56. Example Question List
(2 of 2)
8. How do you cool your building? Air-Cooled,
Split-Units, Water Cooled or none?
9. Do you have a pool?
10. Do you have any damp and squishy wet areas
on your property?
11. Have you made any changes to your irrigation
system?
12. Is the irrigation system on a clock or timer?
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58. On-Site Audit
Walk Campus
– Obtain facility drawings
– Reserve enough time (Depends on size of building)
– Great time to build your relationship with the customer!!!
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60. On-Site Audit
Make sure you see everything!
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61. 63

62. Measuring with Bucket and
Stopwatch
Measure twice
and average
Measure 10% of
similar devices
throughout facility
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63. Equipment Audit Information
List all equipment using water, model
numbers and flow rates
Hours / Day and Days / Week of use
(verify with facilities operator)
Obtain model number of water using
equipment where flow rates cannot be
calculated or measured and obtain from
manufacturer (take nameplate picture)
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64. Plumbing Fixtures and
Kitchen Equipment
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66. Tank-Type Water Closets
• Energy Policy Act of
1992 (EPAct)
• 3.5 GPF = Complete
Replacement
• 1.6 GPF = Leave as is
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67. MaP Testing (Maximum
Performance Testing)
Began in 2003
Measures Toilet’s
ability to remove
solids in a single
flush
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68. 70

69. Flushometer Water Closets
• Energy Policy Act of
1992 (EPAct)
• 3.5 GPF = Complete
Replacement
• 1.6 GPF = Dual
Flush Kit
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70. Dual-Flush Flushometer
Retrofit Kits
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71. Sensor Activated Water Closets
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72. Urinals
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74. Faucets
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75. Faucets
1.5 GPM 0.5 GPM
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76. Sensor Activated Faucets
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77. Showerheads
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78. Industrial Dishwasher
Record Manufacturer,
Model Number, Serial
Number and
Electrical Information
(especially booster
heater) and use rates
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79. 81

80. Kitchen Spray Nozzles
High Efficiency with Shut-off
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81. Ice-Makers, Air-Conditioning and
Refrigeration Equipment
Replace ALL
single pass water
cooled equipment
with air cooled or
central chilled
water sources!
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82. Laundry Machines
84

83. Maintenance Problems
None!
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84. User Negative Feedback
None!
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85. HVAC and
Process
Equipment
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86. Swimming Pools
1. Pool Filters
2. Pool Covers
(outdoor pools)
– Reduce Water
Evaporation
– Reduce Chemical
Consumption
– Reduces Energy
Use
3. Chemical Covers
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87. Vacuum Sterilizers
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88. Medical Air Compressors
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89. Medical Vacuum Pumps
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90. Waste Anesthesia Gas (WAG) Pumps
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91. Increase Cooling Tower and
Boiler Cycles of Concentration
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92. Hybrid Cooling Towers
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93. Boiler Stack Economizer
Water Recovery
Cost: $1,090
Water / Sewer Savings: 720 GPD
Return on Investment: 5 Months
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94. Landscaping / Xeriscaping
Limit lawns to high exposure areas
Plant native landscaping material
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95. Irrigation
Use drip irrigation and rain sensing controls
Winterize properly
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96. Site
Specific
Alternatives
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97. Greywater Systems
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98. Rainwater Car Wash
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100. Vacuum Operated
Waste System
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101. Dialysis Reject Water
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102. How to Calculate Water
Audit Payback Periods
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103. 105

104. What you need for Payback
Period Calculation
1. Water, Waste, Natural Gas and Electrical Utility
Costs
2. Fixture / Equipment Use Rates
3. Facility Work Days
4. Know Facility Hot Water Creation Method
5. Installation Cost
6. Estimated Annual Utility Rate Increase
7. Rebate Potential
106

105. Use Rates
Water Closet:
– 3 / Day (Women)
– 1 / Day (Men)*
Urinal:
– 2 / Day (Men)
Faucets:
– 1 Minute / Person / Day
Shower Use:
– 8 Minutes / Day / Person
*3 / Day if no urinals
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106. Use Rates
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108. Hot Water Fuel
Natural Gas
Electric
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110. Installation Costs
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113. 115

114. Activity #1
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115. Activity #1 (Part I)
Part I - Compute the CCF/Year water savings for the following:
A. Replace 3.5 GPF Water Closet (Data Entry: Line Item #1, Use #1) with
1.28 GPF Water Closet (Data Entry: Line Item #2, Use #1)
B. Replace 3.5 GPF Water Closet (Data Entry: Line Item #1, Use #1) with
1.1/1.6 GPF Dual Flush Water Closet (Data Entry: Line Item #2, Use #1:
1.1 GPF; Line Item #2, Use #2: 1.6 GPF)
Givens:
• 6 Average Uses per Day
• Work Days: 260 (Data Entry: Line Item #4, Letter H)
• 2 to 1 Ratio for Small Flush to Large Flush
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116. Activity #1 (Part II)
Part II - Compute the Water and Waste Water Bill Savings (1st Year) for the following:
C. Retrofit 1.6 GPF Water Closet (Data Entry: Line Item #1, Use #1) Flushometer
with 1.1/1.6 GPF Dual Flushometer (Data Entry: Line Item #2, Use #1: 1.1 GPF;
Line Item #2, Use #2: 1.6 GPF)
D. Replace 1.1/1.6 GPF Dual Flush Water Closet (Data Entry: Line Item #1, Use #1:
1.1 GPF; Line Item #2, Use #2: 1.6 GPF) with 0.8/1.28 GPF Water Closet (Data
Entry: Line Item #2, Use #1: 0.8 GPF; Line Item #2, Use #2: 1.28 GPF)
Givens:
• Data Entry A and B
A. Water Cost: $4.00/CCF
B. Sewer Cost: $8.89/CCF
• 6 Average Uses per Day
• Work Days: 260 (Data Entry: Line Item #4, Letter H)
• 2 to 1 Ratio of Small Flush to Large Flush
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117. Activity #2
119

118. Activity #2
Compute the Payback Period (without rebates) for replacing a 2.5 GPM Shower Head
(Data Entry: Line Item #1, Use #1, 2.5 Gallons per Use) with a 1.5 GPM Shower Head
(Data Entry: Line Item #2, Use #1, 1.5 Gallons per Use) for the following:
A. Payback Duration without including Domestic Hot Water creation savings
B. Payback Duration with Domestic Hot Water created by Natural Gas Water Heater
C. Payback Duration with Domestic Hot Water created by Electric Hot Water Heater
D. Payback Duration with Domestic Hot Water created by a Steam to Hot Water
Converter with the Steam created by a Natural Gas Steam Boiler
E. Payback Duration with Domestic Hot Water created by a Steam to Hot Water
Converter with the Steam created by an Electric Steam Boiler
Givens:
• Data Entry A and B
A. Water Cost: $4.00/CCF
B. Sewer Cost: $8.89/CCF
C. Natural Gas Cost: $0.343/Therm
D. Electrical Cost: $0.048/kWh
• Average Uses per Day: 7 minutes /day
• Work Days: 260 Days (Data Entry: Line Item #4, Letter H)
• Installation Cost: $100 (Data Entry: Line Item #12, Letter S)
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119. Activity #3
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120. Activity #3
Compute the Payback Period (without rebates) for a new industrial dishwasher:
Givens:
• Data Entry A and B
A. Water Cost: $4.00/CCF
B. Sewer Cost: $8.89/CCF
C. Natural Gas Cost: $0.343/Therm
D. Electrical Cost: $0.048/kWh
• Work Days: 365 (Data Entry: Line Item #4, Letter H)
• Data Entry Line Item #1 and #2
1. Current Equipment Use/Day: 1 Use @ 2,000 Gallons
2. New Equipment Use/Day: 1 Use @ 1,000 Gallons
• Data Entry Line Item #9 b and c
b) Current Therms (NG), kWh (Electric) Consumed per Day: 17 Therms (NG), 227 kWh
(Electric)
c) Estimated Therms (NG), kWh (Electric) Consumed per Day: 10 Therms (NG), 100
kWh (Electric)
• Installation Cost: $50,000 (Data Entry: Line Item #12, Letter S)
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121. Activity #4
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122. Activity #4
Using Activity #3 data, compute the Payback Period for each of the following:
A. Current dishwasher requires $1,500/Year in maintenance and the new
dishwasher will require $500/Year in maintenance. (Data Entry: Line Item #10,
Letter R).
B. All of the above with annual utility increases: Water (5%), Sewer (8%),
Electrical (2%), and Natural Gas (2%). (Data Entry: Line Item #11, Letters a),
b), c), and d) respectively).
C. All of the above with water utility rebate (10%). (Data Entry: Line Item #13).
D. All of the above with electrical utility rebate (70%). (Data Entry: Line Item #16).
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123. Bonus Activity
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125. 127

126. 128

127. Rainwater Harvesting
Assumptions:
– $1 / Gallon Installed
– System Size: 10,000 Gallons
– 50” Rain / Year
– 2,500 SF Roof
– 0.62 Gallons/SF of Roof/Inches of Rain per Year
– 85% Collection Efficiency
– Water Cost: $0.0025 / Gallon
– Sewer Cost: $0.0075 / Gallon
What is the Payback Period?
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128. How to Write a Water
Audit Report
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134. Segregate Payback
Periods
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136. Tips, Strategies and
Lessons Learned
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140. Post-Installation
Flushometer Adjustments
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141. Water
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142. Actual Fixture Counts not
matching Audit Count
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143. Lowering GPF without
changing bowl
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144. Fixture Footprints
are not all the same
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145. System Shut-downs vs. Freezing
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146. Beta-Testing
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147. Problematic Existing Conditions
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148. Aerators vs. Flow Control
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149. Straying from Water Audit
Recommendations
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150. ROI Thresholds: Owner Furnished
Fixtures / Equipment
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151. Buyer Beware: Small Water
Spots = More Maintenance
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152. Dual-Flush Tank-Type
Retrofit Kits
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153. Additional Stickers
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154. Putting Water Efficiency
Ahead of User or Building needs
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155. Follow-up Audits /
Stop looking for new products
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156. Follow-up Audits /
Stop looking for new products
158

157. Follow-up Audits /
Stop looking for new products
159

158. Objectives
Identify skills necessary to perform a Commercial Water
Audit
Using tools given in class, learn how to perform your
own Commercial Water Audit by identifying water saving
opportunities
Learn how to estimate Payback Periods for
recommended Water Saving concepts
Learn how to write a Commercial Water Audit Report
160

159. Additional References
“Water Use and Conservation” by Amy Vickers
“Dry Run – Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis” by
Jerry Yudelson
“Every Drop for Sale” by Jeffrey Rothfeder
“The World’s Water….” Bi-Annual Series 1998 – Present
by Peter H. Gleick
“Globalization of Water” by Arjen Y. Hoekstra and Ashok
K. Chapagain
www.waterefficiency.net
www.watersmartinnovations.com
161

160. Final
Questions
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