Is Your Hotel Operating Efficiently This Summer?
Summer is a major season for travel and tourism. And as every hotel manager knows, water management is a big issue in the summer months.
Whether it’s pools, hot tubs, laundry, heating/cooling, cleaning, kitchen, or lavatories, hotels use a lot of water! With the heat of summer and the influx of visitors, smart water management can make all the difference for a hotel’s bottom line.
Here are some smart water management tips and tricks to help you manage your facility this summer.
Risks to water efficiency in hotels
Studies estimate that hotels use between 100 to 400 gallons of fresh water per occupied room each day. That equals anywhere from 36,500 to 146,000 gallons of water used per room each year. If you consider that water can cost anywhere from $1 to over $15 per 1,000 gallons, the costs really start to add up for hotel owners.
The amount of water varies depending on the age and class of the hotel, the type of cooling and irrigation systems used, and whether the hotel has onsite swimming pools, laundry facilities, or full-service restaurants.
But, regardless of the individual characteristics of your hotel, the one sure thing? Water use spikes in the summer.
In one report by Colorado Water Wise, the St. Regis Resort Hotel in Aspen saw an increase in water use by more than 200% from May to August.
Greater cooling needs, lower water supply due to summer droughts, and increased tourism all play a part in this summer surge.
5 ways to reduce water consumption in hotels
So, what can hotel managers do? There are plenty of ways to save water, reduce consumption, avoid risk, and lower costs.
Here are five ways to reduce your water consumption this summer.
Evaluate your current water use. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: You can’t manage what you can’t measure. Hotel managers should conduct an audit of their current water system to uncover inefficiencies and leaks. Next, it’s important to establish a tracking and monitoring system for the future.
Establish a clear water management plan. Once you have a clear grasp of your system, it’s time to identify and develop efficiency measures. Create a plan that details your water use profile and identifies target areas for improvement, along with costs and benefits.
Identify systems where you can minimize water use. The biggest contributors within your control are typically laundry services, swimming pools, and landscaping. You don’t have to change your guests’ experience while finding ways to reduce pool leaks, reuse water for landscaping, or install water-efficient laundry systems.
Educate guests and staff. Train your staff on water-efficient housekeeping practices in rooms, the laundry, the pool or spa, and outdoor areas. You also can raise guest awareness by posting signs about linen reuse programs and encouraging them to avoid wasteful practices like taking long showers or running the faucet when they aren’t using it.
Install smart water management systems. The key to ensuring all these steps are sustainable over the long term? Installing a digitally enabled smart water management system. Systems like this give you real-time insight into your hotel’s water use and identify efficient and cost-saving solutions.
Beating the summer heat with smart water management
Summer is both a boon and challenge for hotel managers. In 2022, with the tourism industry finally kicking back into gear, hotels are seeing an influx of visitors — and, with them, a sharp rise in water use.
But there’s no need to fret! A few simple steps can help reduce water use and improve your bottom line. The key to sustaining these changes over the long term is adopting a smart water management system. Smart water management is a booming market that’s expected to remain on a growth trajectory. Hotel facility managers who want to be ready for the future should install these systems now.
At Aquanomix, we provide the only third-party, comprehensive, real-time technology platform for water management. This solution helps you minimize risks and increase efficiencies through whatever changes you experience.
Get ready for your busy summer and learn more at Aquanomix.com.