Water Saving: Toilets, Taps, and Glasswashers

Water is one of the hidden costs in pubs. Toilets, taps, and glasswashers are essential for hygiene and service, yet inefficient usage quietly inflates bills. Rising water prices and sustainability pressures make proactive management essential. Reducing water consumption protects margins while supporting responsible operations.

This guide outlines practical strategies for controlling water usage, reducing waste, and optimizing equipment performance. Every measure is designed for pubs, balancing efficiency with customer comfort and hygiene standards.

Identifying high-use fixtures and leaks

Understanding where water is used most is the first step. Toilets, taps, and glasswashers account for the majority of consumption. Conduct a walkthrough to identify:

– Leaks and drips at faucets

– Constant running toilets

– Overuse or inefficient glasswashers

Even minor leaks can waste thousands of litres per year. Detecting and fixing them promptly directly reduces bills.

Efficient toilets

Toilets are a major water consumer. Options for efficiency include:

– Dual-flush systems: Provide separate flush volumes for liquid and solid waste.

– Low-flow cisterns: Reduce water per flush without compromising performance.

– Regular maintenance: Repair leaking or running toilets immediately.

These improvements reduce consumption without affecting customer experience or hygiene standards.

Efficient taps and handwashing

Taps contribute significantly to water use in both customer areas and behind the bar. Efficient practices include:

– Aerated taps: Reduce water flow while maintaining pressure.

– Timed or sensor taps: Automatically stop water when not in use.

– Staff training: Encouage brief handwashing and conscious water use.

Even small reductions in flow rates add up across multiple taps and busy periods.

Glasswasher efficiency

Glasswashers are essential but high consumers of water and energy. Efficiency strategies include:

– Full loads only: Avoid running partial cycles.

– Optimized cycle programs: Use shorter or low-water cycles where suitable.

– Regular maintenance: Clean filters and ensure pumps operate correctly.

– Upgrade to high-efficiency models: Modern machines use significantly less water per wash and reduce energy consumption simultaneously.

Optimizing glasswashers often yields the largest single water and energy savings in front-of-house operations.

Staff behavior and training

Behavioral changes are critical to sustaining water savings. Staff should be trained to:

– Report leaks immediately

– Run dishwashers and glasswashers efficiently

– Avoid unnecessary tap use during cleaning

– Monitor consumption patterns for anomalies

Engaged and aware staff amplify technical measures and make savings consistent.

Monitoring water use

Install submeters or track water bills regularly to detect abnormal spikes. Compare usage across periods, sites, or fixtures. Data-driven insight allows quick intervention and prevents small inefficiencies from escalating into costly habits.

Multi-site water management

For landlords managing multiple pubs, standardizing water-saving measures ensures consistent impact. Benchmark usage per site, schedule audits, and compare performance to identify outliers. Consolidated tracking helps prioritize investments and interventions where the largest savings are achievable.

Benefits of professional audits

Professional audits reveal hidden water waste and recommend targeted measures. Auditors assess fixtures, review bills, and provide operational guidance tailored to pub environments. Combining audit recommendations with staff engagement and maintenance routines maximizes efficiency and long-term savings.

Case example: simple adjustments, measurable impact

Replacing older toilets with dual-flush units, installing sensor taps, and optimizing glasswasher cycles can reduce water bills by 20-30% annually in a single site. Across multiple pubs, these measures generate substantial cumulative savings while maintaining customer experience and hygiene standards.

Summary: Water efficiency for operational savings

Effective water management combines fixture upgrades, operational adjustments, and staff engagement. By focusing on toilets, taps, and glasswashers, landlords can significantly reduce consumption, protect margins, and support sustainability goals without compromising service quality. Monitoring, maintenance, and audits ensure these savings are sustained over time.

Return to the Operational Cost Cutting hub, or explore Bill Validation to ensure your water and energy costs are accurate and optimized.