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Water

This translation was created from the original text using AI (DeepL).

Relevance to the Restaurant Industry

Water is an essential part of your business operations. As a restaurant owner, you need water every day—for cleaning, cooking, steaming, washing, or disinfecting. But water isn’t just a cost; it’s also truly precious because it’s a limited resource. Show your guests that you’re taking responsibility and fostering habits that conserve water and have a positive long-term impact on both you and the environment. This not only saves money but also underscores your role as a responsible member of society.

Advantages

  • Cost Savings
  • Status as a Responsible Company
  • Positive Impact on the Environment
  • Responsible Member of the Community

Did you know that

only 2.5% of the world's water supply is freshwater, and we can use only 0.3% of that
2 billion people lack access to sufficient water due to drought and water scarcity
Global water demand is expected to rise by 55% by 2050
Worldwide, 80% of wastewater flows back into ecosystems without being treated or reused

Tips

As a restaurant owner, there are a number of ways you can save water in your restaurant. Repair leaky faucets and pipes, reuse graywater, and be mindful when preparing and cleaning food.

Careful Preparation and Cleaning

Check to see if you're already taking full advantage of all the options:

  • Do not use water to defrost food. Food should always be defrosted in advance in a refrigerator.
  • Wipe down the kitchen floor only at the end of the day or when food has been spilled.
  • If possible, remove food scraps from dishes over the trash can (using a scraper or spatula, not water) before placing them in the dishwasher.
  • If you need to rinse dishes before loading the dishwasher, use a low-flow pre-rinse nozzle.
  • Only run the dishwasher when it is full.
  • Turn off appliances that use water when they’re not in use.
  • Replace a water hose with a water brush. It cleans more efficiently and uses only half the water in high-traffic areas such as near trash cans or outdoors.

Fix leaky faucets and pipes

Do you know how much water is wasted by dripping, leaky faucets, appliances, or pipes? Up to 750 liters of water per day are lost through a leaky toilet flush, and up to 70 liters per day through a dripping faucet!

Reuse graywater

Greywater is used water, such as water from cooking, ice buckets, or rainwater. If treated properly, greywater can help save a significant amount of water. For example, water used to cook vegetables or eggs can be used for the garden or the plants in the restaurant once it has cooled down. Collected rainwater can also be used to water plants or clean outdoor areas. Make sure that the reused graywater does not contain salt, as this can harm the plants. You should also ensure that the water collection containers are sealed and emptied regularly to prevent insect infestations, for example.

Use seasonal fruits and vegetables

Buying seasonal fruits and vegetables helps conserve water. One reason for this is that it reduces imports from regions experiencing acute water shortages. Seasonal crops are also adapted to the local climate and grow precisely when natural rainfall in the area is usually sufficient. Compared to heated greenhouses, this means less water needs to be supplied artificially.

In-Depth Study

Good to Know

The Connection Between Water and Climate Change

The climate is changing, leading to increasing global warming. The rise in the global average temperature has far-reaching consequences. These include extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and storms, as well as rising sea levels. In addition, scientists are observing measurable effects on the quantity, distribution, availability, and quality of water.
The Growing Gap Between Water Supply and Demand

Water supplies depend on both the amount of water available and how it is used. When consumption exceeds a certain percentage of available resources, this is referred to as water stress. The causes of water stress include population and economic growth, as well as rising consumption of, for example, industrially produced meat and dairy products.
The Future of Water Quality

Water quality is essential for healthy ecosystems and the use of water as a resource. Rising temperatures, as well as the influx of nutrients and other substances, can pollute water bodies. This makes it all the more important to use water responsibly and protect our water bodies.
In a restaurant, most of the water is used in the kitchen. The restrooms come in second. According to estimates, restaurants can reduce their operating costs by 11%, their energy consumption by 10%, and their water consumption by 15% by implementing water-efficient practices.
HoReCa customers are primarily interested in reducing their energy and water consumption.

Advanced tips

Once you’ve successfully implemented daily water-saving routines, you may want to consider taking more advanced steps to conserve water:

01

Low-Flow Faucets

With this simple, cost-effective, and efficient method, you can immediately reduce your water consumption. Since hygiene is of the utmost importance, this is one way, for example, to continue washing your hands without wasting water.

02

Low-Flow Pre-Rinse Nozzles

To save water, you should pre-rinse your dishes with special pre-rinse nozzles before washing them by hand or loading them into the dishwasher.

03

Stoves Without a Boiler

A steam cooker with a water boiler can use up to 150 liters of water per hour—which adds up to as much as 660,000 liters over the course of a year. A closed-system steam cooker that uses graywater and recycles condensate that would otherwise evaporate saves water and money.

04

High-Quality Appliances

Pay attention to the energy label on appliances such as dishwashers, ice makers (air-cooled), refrigerators, freezers, ovens, coolers, and steamers. This can save up to 10% on water!

05

Water-Saving Devices in the Bathroom

By using water-saving faucets, toilets with a water-saving button, sensors on faucets, toilets, and urinals, or simple add-on devices that regulate the amount of water in toilet tanks, you can significantly reduce your water consumption.

06

Contact your municipal utility

Set up rain barrels to collect and reuse rainwater, for example, to water plants or clean outdoor areas. Graywater can also be used to flush toilets. Be innovative and check with your local utility to find out the best way to conserve water in your area.

07

Think about ways you can save water indirectly

Buy products that use less water, such as greenhouse-grown salads and herbs, seasonal fruits and vegetables, or cleaning products that require little water.

Progress

08

Check Your Progress

Check how your water usage has changed once you’ve implemented some of the water-saving measures mentioned above. Start with solutions that don’t require too much effort. For example, ask your water utility about helpful programs they offer.

Your Checklist
  • Determine your water usage and identify sources of water waste
  • Contact your municipal utility for support
  • Inform and engage your staff toward the common goal
  • Tell your guests about your progress
  • Post informational signs
  • Check the effectiveness of your changes after a few weeks
Energy
Waste