Water Audit Checklist

Use the Water Audit Checklist to assess water usage, detect leaks, and evaluate conservation measures, ensuring efficiency, sustainability, and compliance.

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Facility & Services
Water Audit Checklist

Outdoor Water Use

Mechanical Systems

2. Has an inventory been conducted to identify equipment that uses single-pass cooling, including: Point-of-use chillers or other refrigeration systems Condensers, air compressors, air conditioners Hydraulic equipment, degreasers, welding machines Vacuum pumps CAT scanners, X-ray equipment Ice machines Steam sterilizers Wok stoves

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Laboratory And Medical Equipment

Onsite Alternative Water Use

2. Which of the following are available at the facility? • Rainwater/stormwater • Air handler condensate • Boiler condensate • Water from single-pass cooling equipment • Cooling tower blowdown • Onsite treated greywater and wastewater • Water treatment systems reject water

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General Facility Water Managementâ€”Monitoring And Education

12. Is water pressure tested regularly on each floor of the facility to ensure it is within the optimal range for fixture and equipment performance? Are pressure-regulating valves used to correct any issues (i.e., the optimal pressure is between 20 and 80 psi for most fixtures)?

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Sanitary Fixtures And Equipment

Commercial Kitchen Equipment

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Checklist by GoAudits.com – Please note that this checklist is intended as an example. We do not guarantee compliance with the laws applicable to your territory or industry. You should seek professional advice to determine how this checklist should be adapted to your workplace or jurisdiction.

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Water Audit Checklist

Use the Water Audit Checklist to assess water usage, detect leaks, and evaluate conservation measures, ensuring efficiency, sustainability, and compliance.

1. Are native or drought-tolerant species planted?

2. Is mulch (3") used around trees and plant beds?

3. Are landscape professionals who are trained and certified in water-efficient or climate-appropriate landscaping hired?

4. Are water, chemical, and energy-efficient requirements incorporated into all landscape and irrigation service and maintenance agreements?

5. Is 4" to 6" of good topsoil maintained to capture and release precipitation back to plants over time?

6. Is soil composition balanced with topsoil or compost to restore water-holding capacity and proper drainage?

7. Are weeds removed from irrigated landscapes so water is available for desired landscaping? Are weeds pulled manually instead of using herbicides?

8. Is the blade on mowers raised to allow grass to grow longer and become more drought-resistant?

9. Is turfgrass allowed to turn brown during dry periods if the species will recover when rainfall returns?

10. Are additional trees and shrubbery planted to increase shaded areas?

11. Is turfgrass limited to areas with functional purposes such as erosion control or recreation?

12. Is "strip grass," or small, disconnected patches of grass, avoided since they are hard to maintain and difficult to water efficiently?

13. Are plants with similar irrigation needs grouped together to enable effective watering using hydrozoning techniques?

14. Have labeled weather-based irrigation controllers been installed, or have irrigation controllers with rain or soil moisture sensors been considered instead of using clock timers?

15. Is drip irrigation used to water plant beds, trees, and shrubs?

16. Is the irrigation schedule appropriate for climate, soil conditions, plant materials, grading, and the season?

17. Has an irrigation professional certified by a labeled program conducted a full audit of the irrigation system within the last three years?

18. Are all irrigation system parts and components regularly inspected and repaired as part of standard maintenance procedures? Are all broken sprinkler heads repaired immediately?

19. Is the position and location of sprinkler heads checked to ensure they are working properly and not directing water onto non-landscaped areas such as sidewalks?

20. Is the landscape visually inspected for water pooling or puddling regularly to prevent plant damage from overwatering?

21. Is irrigation scheduling adjusted frequently to reflect actual site conditions, including climate, soil conditions, plant materials, grading, and the season?

22. Are the intensity and frequency of watering schedules adjusted to fit soil types and landscape features, encouraging deep watering and deep root growth for healthier plants?

23. Has a separate meter been installed to measure irrigation water use? Is it monitored regularly to detect leaks and other issues?

24. Has the local wastewater utility been contacted to check for available credits for water applied to landscaping rather than being discharged into the sewer system?

25. Are alternative water sources used for irrigation and decorative water features instead of potable water?

26. Is water recirculated in decorative fountains, ponds, and waterfalls, and is non-potable water used in these systems when possible?

27. Are water features shut off when possible to reduce evaporation losses? Are recirculation systems checked annually for leaks and other damage?

28. Are sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, pool decks, and other hardscapes swept instead of hosed down? Are water brooms used for greater time and water efficiency?

29. Are pools kept below 79°F to minimize evaporation?

30. Are pool covers or liquid barriers used to control evaporation loss?

31. Is the pool water level maintained a few inches below the top to reduce water losses from splashing?

32. Are pool gutters and grate systems installed along pool edges to reduce water losses from splashing and drag-outs?

33. Are pool water levels monitored regularly to detect leaks, with a loss of more than 2" per week indicating a likely leak?

34. Is proper pool chemistry maintained to reduce the need for frequent cleaning and drainage?

1. Have all instances of single-pass cooling been eliminated?

3. Is the minimum flow rate used to cool all mechanical systems, as recommended by the manufacturer?

4. Have solenoid valves been installed to shut off single-pass cooling water when equipment is off?

5. Are water control valves regularly checked to ensure cooling water only flows when the heat load needs to be removed?

6. Are coil loops cleaned to maximize heat exchange?

7. Has the system been retrofitted to reuse cooling water with an air-cooled point-of-use chiller or by connecting to an existing recirculating chilled water or cooling tower water loop?

8. Are energy-efficiency measures being taken wherever possible to reduce the cooling load on cooling towers and chilled water systems?

9. Have flow meters been installed and monitored on the make-up and blowdown lines of cooling towers, boilers, and chilled water systems?

10. Has a treatment vendor with knowledge of water-efficient operation been hired to monitor cooling tower and boiler chemistry and maximize cycles of concentration?

11. Has a control system been installed to control chemical feed and initiate blowdown based on conductivity?

12. Are conductivity meters and probes cleaned monthly to reduce unnecessary blowdown?

13. Are chillers, air handler coils, heat exchangers, condensers, and evaporator coils regularly maintained and cleaned to prevent scale, biological growth, and sediment buildup?

14. Are all piping, chillers, and storage tanks properly insulated?

15. Are conductivity meters and make-up and blowdown flow meters read regularly to create a detailed log of quantities, conductivity, and cycles of concentration to identify performance problems and make adjustments?

16. Are water efficiency requirements included in contracts and service agreements with water treatment vendors?

17. Does water discharged to the sewer meet allowable water quality standards?

18. Are all water chemistry reports from the water treatment vendor read to ensure conductivity and cycles of concentration are within target ranges?

19. Are boilers, steam lines, and steam traps regularly checked and maintained?

20. Are steam and hot water lines regularly checked for leaks?

21. Are boiler water and fire tubes inspected and cleaned regularly?

22. Is steam condensate recovered for other uses when possible?

23. Is hot condensate tempered using expansion tanks instead of adding water to cool it before discharge to the sewer?

1. Is water only purified when necessary, treating it to a quality that matches process requirements?

2. Is water purification regeneration programmed based on incoming water hardness and/or flow through the system? Are settings monitored and adjusted periodically?

3. Are vacuum pumps and steam sterilizers turned off when not in use and programmed to discharge only the amount of water necessary to remove impurities and cool the unit?

4. Are tempering water needle valve flow rates adjusted to the minimum manufacturer recommendations, and are needle valves changed annually?

5. Have thermostatically actuated valves been installed to control the flow of cooling water for steam sterilizer condensate discharge?

6. Have old steam sterilizers and vacuum pumps been replaced with newer models that do not use single-pass cooling or condensate discharge tempering water?

7. Are water flow rates in fume hoods maintained within manufacturer specifications, and do recirculating systems avoid unnecessary blowdown or overflow?

8. Have old fume hoods been replaced with filtration systems that do not require water (e.g., activated carbon)?

9. Are worn cage-and-rack washer valves and rinse nozzles inspected and repaired?

10. Are glassware and cage-and-rack washers run only when full?

11. Are water flows in film processors maintained at the minimum acceptable rate specified, and is water turned off when the unit is not in use?

12. Are solenoid valves checked regularly to ensure flow stops when equipment is in standby mode?

13. Has traditional film equipment been converted to digital X-ray equipment?

1. Have all alternative sources of water been explored for use in place of potable water?

2. Which of the following are available at the facility? • Rainwater/stormwater • Air handler condensate • Boiler condensate • Water from single-pass cooling equipment • Cooling tower blowdown • Onsite treated greywater and wastewater • Water treatment systems reject water

3. Is onsite alternative water used for irrigation, cooling tower make-up, toilet and urinal flushing, fume hood scrubbers, and other uses not requiring potable water?

4. Are alternative water sources matched with expected uses, and is it verified that they will provide a consistent water supply and quality?

5. Is rainwater collected to irrigate landscapes where rainwater harvesting is allowed?

6. Is air handler condensate used as cooling tower make-up to offset potable water use where possible?

7. Is rinse water in dishwashers and clothes washers recycled whenever possible (e.g., the last rinse water becomes the next load’s wash water)?

1. Are water meters read and is monthly water use recorded? Is it verified that all meters and submeters are installed properly?

2. Are water and cost savings tracked over time in utility management systems?