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                    Water management

                    Icon depicting a drop of water surrounded by three arrows forming a circle
                    Water is used by businesses in many different ways – from hydration to sanitation – and it is one of our most precious resources.

                    Think about where your water is sourced and what ends up in waste water. How we use water can also impact the amount of energy we use.

                    Did you know?

                    It can take three to seven litres of water and one litre of oil to produce one litre of bottled water. Bottled water has to be pumped out of the ground, packaged, transported and chilled before it gets to us – this creates over 60,000 tons of greenhouse gases a year in Australia alone.

                    (Source: Cool Australia)

                    It is important that we all take action to reduce the amount of water used and to ensure there are no nasties going down the drain.

                    Infographic depicting five water management tips for businesses. See 'Top five tips' below for full details. 

                    Top five tips

                    1. Check that you don't have any leaking taps or appliances.
                    2. Provide drinking fountains so people don't need to buy bottled water. Check out where drinking fountains are located across the City of Melbourne
                    3. Choose water efficient appliances and​​ fixtures when purchasing or leasing water related equipment and appliances. 
                    4. Install a rainwater tank and grey water collection system for use on your garden (if you have one) or toilet flushing.
                    5. Make sure chemicals and oil are responsibly thrown away and not just poured down drains. 

                    You could also:

                    1. Provide staff with reusable water bottles (or ask them to bring their own) and provide or sell reusable bottles or cups to your customers.

                    Download the infographic

                    Sustainable business: Water management tips

                    ​Planning template

                    To help you plan for the water efficiency of your business, we’ve created a template:
                    Sustainable business: Water management planning template

                    More information

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