All businesses will be familiar with the concept of regular audits, as they are required in a multitude of areas to ensure there is less waste, less cost, and a more proactive approach to day-to-day productivity. However, it may not be the first thing on your mind when starting your journey toward being totally water efficient.
Every robust business plan starts with a well thought out strategy, and water efficiency is no exception. By taking the time to have a high-level examination of current policies, procedures, and equipment in the form of a desktop audit. You can identify potential changes, enabling a methodical approach to seamlessly engraining water efficiency into your culture.
Of course, investing the time and the money in a full review of current procedural documentation, discussing and finalising appropriate actions, and disseminating these to staff is not something to be entered into lightly. However, there are a number of tangible benefits of starting with a high-level review that will make it more than worth the effort required.
It will allow you to take stock
For most businesses, policy and procedure documents and functioning equipment are rarely reviewed, and this can lead to them being out of date and not fit for purpose. They may not, for example, include changes in regulation, or reflect if physical systems have been upgraded.
A desktop audit helps to identify gaps in data and any billing problems. Once these issues have been recognised, the company can take measures to fill those gaps, by taking more meter readings or looking at water use in other areas of the business, and examining where these can be reduced.
It will allow you to get organised
The high level overview aspect of a desktop audit means that you can quickly see the highlights and the red flags of where the business is. It will also quickly establish the most urgent updates as well as the issues that can wait.
The audit will give an accurate first impression of what the opportunities are, and what is most necessary, so you can plan future work, prioritise the most essential requirements, and begin saving money immediately.
It will allow you to understand a full audit
A smaller, less detailed desktop audit can give you a taster of what is offered in a full water audit. Total Water Solutions is able to conduct these audits, and offer advice and guidance to firms to help them be more water efficient.
Having a better understanding of what a full water audit covers with little investment of time can help you establish whether it’s the right option to go for.
It could save you time
The desktop audit might well solve your water efficiency problems without needing to conduct a full audit. The quick check over your current working procedures or equipment could identify where changes could be made and the journey to total efficiency can begin right away.
Some of the tweaks and tune ups that could be quick wins for your business may be flagged up immediately, and you may then decide that this negates the need for a full audit. If you change your mind, you can always request a full audit at a later date.
It will allow you to make water efficiency part of the culture
Spending a little time conducting an audit will help to focus attention on the problem of water efficiency by including it on the agenda as part of a systematic process, rather than seeing it as an ad hoc event.
It is easy to only look at efficiency when there is a problem, for example a large bill or a broken pipe, however by conducting an audit, you may be able to identify where savings can be made before you reach the crisis point, and make this part of your routine.
For more information about water audits, contact tws@nwl.co.uk