When you think of water conservation, the hotel sector is often overlooked, but a large industry such as hospitality plays a major role in water consumption and can heavily impact water conservation if planned and executed properly.
Hotel Water Consumption Statistics
Before diving deeper into how hotels can contribute to conserving water and protecting the planet, let’s take a look at some shocking facts.
Daily Water Usage Per Room
According to studies, the daily average water usage per hotel room ranges from 100-400 gallons.
Water Used to Wash Laundry
Hotels always have their washers and dryers running and there’s a solid reason for that considering how many bed sheets, table clothes, uniforms, and towels they go through every hour. Every day, the hotel sector uses millions of gallons of water just to wash towels that have only been used once.
Luxury Hotels VS. Standard Domestic Consumption
Studies show that per overnight stay, luxury hotels use several times standard domestic consumption per capita.
What Causes More Water Waste?
Contrary to what you might believe, showers and toilets account for much of the water wasted in hotels, not swimming pools. Laundry and landscaping tie for second place.
Hotel Water Conservation
The figures speak for themselves and they aren’t very pleasing, but there are ways to improve the situation and take the load off the environment and your shoulders. These are some water conservation tips to consider if you’re managing a hotel.
Awareness for Guests
Increasing awareness can be done by anything as simple as a fun sign in the bathroom encouraging hotel guests to hang their towels if they plan to reuse them, or leave them on the floor if they’d like them washed. Take it one step further by showing the shocking amount of water wasted by washing towels that have only been used once.
Reusing Water
Some hotels, especially in the UAE have set systems in place to reuse wastewater for irrigation. This comes after the government set up sustainability requirements in Dubai.
Installing Water-Saving Showerheads
Surprisingly, a main cause that contributes to water waste in the hotel industry is shower water. When designing a hotel shower, it makes perfect sense to install the largest, most advanced showerhead, thinking you’re guests will get a spa-like treatment and the ultimate relaxing experience. However, what many aren’t aware of is that there are showerheads that deliver the same pleasurable shower experience – if not better, while significantly reducing water waste. Two examples of these include this rain showerhead and the Pure Blue shower filter.
Installing Tap Aerators
Similar to water conserving showerheads, tap aerators also conserve water that is commonly wasted when using the faucet by delivering a great user experience and minimizing the flow of water.
It may come as a surprise how much water is actually wasted within hotels, but by adjusting behaviors and installing a few water-saving products, you can make a difference, protect the environment, and improve your bottom line.