A new survey conducted by AlturaSolutions Communications for Waterless Co., a manufacturer of no-water urinal systems, asked facility managers and other building professionals about water conservation, water costs, and other related issues in their facilities for 2010.
E-mail invitations to take the survey were sent to about 500 facility managers and building professionals—154 people answered some of the questions and 84 people completed the entire survey.
Virtually all respondents (89 percent) indicated that, compared with past years, concerns about water conservation will increase in 2010.
Participants also were asked if they thought the cost of water would go up in the next few years and by how much. Their responses were:
• 43 percent believe water costs will go up 15 percent or more.
• 30 percent foresee costs going up about 10 percent.
• 23 percent believe costs will go up about 5 percent.
• 4 percent do not believe water costs will go up in 2010 or the near future.
Most of the other survey questions dealt with actual water use and fixtures in their facilities. For example, 58 percent indicated that the facility they work in has not installed water-conserving fixtures or systems.
This statistic is surprising because 72 percent of the respondents indicated that installing water-conserving fixtures and systems is either important or very important.
Sixty-two percent said that most of the water used in their facilities is used in restrooms, which was followed by landscaping, according to 13 percent of the respondents. The remainder selected kitchen and food-service areas, cooling and heating systems, or they indicted they were “not sure.”
Finally, the participants were asked what types of water-conserving fixtures and systems their facility is considering installing to reduce water use. They responded as follows:
• High-performing toilets: 28 percent.
• Reduced-flow faucets: 23 percent.
• Reduced-flow shower heads: 15 percent.
• Waterless urinal systems: 15 percent.
• Water-conserving landscaping systems: 19 percent.