Pollution Prevention 101

The AWE Resource Library pages listed here offer information on commercial, institutional, and industrial water use and conservation savings as well as links to the latest research and information about this important end user category.

With water critical to many industrial operations, the use, reuse and treatment of the water and wastewater streams throughout a plant can be a large piece of the ongoing operations and maintenance budget. Water uses within industrial facilities vary by industry, and can include cooling water, process water, quench water, cleaning water, boiler water, potable water, and others. Many industrial facilities have changed significantly since they began operations decades ago, and water use throughout the plant can be difficult to evaluate after numerous retrofits and process changes. A detailed, refined, water balance study can save costs on water use and treatment. Available for purchase from the Water Environment Federation.

This guide is designed to review the basics of water use and disposal in commercial buildings. By learning about the fundamentals of water conservation, readers will hopefully be able to implement projects that will help lower water consumption and thus lower water bills, as well as sewer bills that are affected by the amount of discharge.

This guide is intended to accelerate internal conversations and decisions at the regional and facility level with regards to investments in advancing water stewardship.

Guide to gathering data and setting up an account in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.

Water is needed to generate energy. Energy is needed to deliver water. Both resources are limiting the other—and both may be running short. Is there a way out?

Included in the Water Efficiency Program Area are tools, techniques, and approaches for improving water use efficiency for both potable and non-potable water resources.

The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) offers case studies featuring federal agencies that have successfully implemented energy- and water-efficient technologies and measures into their buildings and operations. Examples of the successful use of FEMP financing mechanisms are also available.

This collection of tools and resources is for business professionals seeking information on environmental and sustainability management issues and can serve as a guide to assist companies in achieving sustainability goals.

Tool to help companies better understand their relationship to water.

H2infO provides a single entry point for access to quality U.S.-based water-related resources that contribute to solutions for global water challenges. This web portal shares a broad range of resources developed by U.S. Water Partnership members that can be used by stakeholders around the world.

The Lean and Water Toolkit describes practical strategies for using Lean manufacturing -- the production system developed by Toyota -- to reduce water use while improving operational performance. Drawing from the experiences and best practices of multiple industry and government partners, this toolkit explores opportunities to identify and eliminate “water waste.” Includes information about conducting water balances and audits.

To achieve long-term, efficient, optimal performance and keep operating costs as low as possible, you need to consider your spray system in its entirety and develop a plan for evaluating, monitoring and maintaining it. If you don’t already have a spray system optimization program in place, you could be wasting significant amounts of chemicals, water, energy and time and risking process and product quality – without even knowing it.

WRI and partners at Quantis, LimnoTech and Valuing Nature have developed a new approach for implementing and valuing water stewardship activities. The Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) meets a critical need in corporate water stewardship: a common method for assessing the benefits of water stewardship activities in a comparable way and ensuring they address current or projected water challenges and contribute to public policy priorities.

The objective of the guide is to assist practitioners with the application of the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) method during the implementation of activities to meet corporate and/or site water replenishment targets.

The efficient use of water saves both money and energy while improving resilience. Through the Better Buildings Water Savings Network, DOE brings organizations together to discuss and demonstrate successful approaches to conserving water in buildings, plants, and multifamily housing. All facility owners and managers are invited to build on the progress already made by Better Buildings Challenge partners who have set water intensity goals and reduced their water use by more than 10 billion gallons since 2015.

The Water Circularity Metrics Tool is a scenario-based tool designed to address a current situation versus a past or future situation providing a step-by-step process to evaluate a specific facility’s water needs; water source options; and determine post-use and discharge options to transition from linear to more circular.

While water use varies widely by industry type and by individual facility, virtually all sites can save water by re-evaluating the manner in which water is used.

The aim of this brief is to provide an overview of the new WWF Water Risk Filter scenarios and guidance on how scenario analysis can help companies and investors to understand future water risks and build resilience in an uncertain future.

Identifies ten things that facilities managers can do to save water, many of which are fairly low cost and easy to implement.

WaterSense, a partnership program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes, and services.

WaterSense has developed WaterSense at Work, a compilation of water-efficiency best management practices, to help commercial and institutional facility owners and managers understand and better manage their water use. WaterSense at Work is designed to provide guidance to help establish an
effective facility water management program and identify projects and practices that can reduce facility water use.

Office buildings, schools, hotels, hospitals, restaurants, and other commercial and institutional facilities use a significant amount of water and energy in their daily operations. Owners and managers of these types of facilities are increasingly aware of the need to use water more efficiently to reduce their risk to water shortages and increasing costs. There is a strong business case to be made for water efficiency.

Use this checklist to identify potential projects and best management practices that will save water, energy, and operating costs. Use WaterSense
at Work: Best Management Practices for Commercial and Institutional Facilities to find more information and equations to calculate potential water,
energy, and cost savings. This information can be used to prioritize projects and create an action plan for reducing water use in a facility. Water
efficiency projects and practices that are shown in blue represent low- and no-cost actions to save water.

The Water Risk Filter is a practical online tool that helps companies and investors assess and respond to water-related risks facing their operations and investments across the globe.

This worksheet aids in water management planning. It's based on Appendix B in WaterSense at Work and can help you gather important information throughout your facility.