KENYA UTALII COLLEGE

FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS.

INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES.
TOPIC: WATER MANAGEMENT IN HOTELS.
TRACY ATITO-FOP2-23-003
PRESENTED TO: MR MWAURA.

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 INTRODUCTION.
 Water management in hotels is crucial for both
sustainability and operational efficiency.
 It involves strategies to conserve, treat, and utilize water
resources effectively while minimizing waste and
environmental impact.
Key aspects include:
1. Water Conservation: Implementing measures such as low-
flow fixtures, leak detection systems, and guest education
programs to reduce water usage.
2. Efficient Irrigation: Utilizing smart irrigation systems and
drought-resistant landscaping to minimize water usage in
outdoor areas.
3. Wastewater Treatment: Installing treatment systems to
recycle greywater from sinks, showers, and laundry for
non-potable uses like irrigation and toilet flushing.
4. Monitoring and Analyzing: Regular monitoring of water
usage data to identify areas of improvement and optimize
consumption patterns.
5. Guest Engagement: Engaging guests in water-saving
practices through signage, incentives, and eco-friendly
amenities.
6. Supplier Collaboration: Partnering with suppliers to source
water-efficient appliances and products for the hotel.

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7. Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to local regulations and
industry standards for water management and
conservation.
 By implementing these strategies, hotels can minimize
their environmental footprint, reduce operating costs, and
enhance their sustainability credentials.
IMPORTANCE OF WATER MANAGEMENT IN HOTELS.
1. Sustainability: Efficient water management reduces the
hotel’s environmental footprint by conserving this
precious resource. It aligns with global sustainability goals
and enhances the hotel’s reputation as an environmentally
responsible business.
2. Cost Savings: Implementing water-saving measures can
lead to significant cost savings by reducing water bills and
operational expenses. This can improve the hotel’s
profitability in the long run.
3. Guest Satisfaction: Many guests value eco-friendly
practices, including water conservation efforts. By
demonstrating a commitment to sustainable water
management, hotels can attract environmentally
conscious guests and enhance overall guest satisfaction.
4. Regulatory Compliance: Compliance with water
regulations is essential for avoiding fines and penalties.
Effective water management ensures that hotels meet
legal requirements and operate within regulatory
frameworks.

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5. Resilience to Water Scarcity: In regions prone to water
scarcity or drought, efficient water management practices
help hotels maintain operations by reducing dependence
on municipal water sources. This resilience is critical for
business continuity.
6. Brand Image: A hotel’s commitment to sustainable water
management reflects positively on its brand image. It can
attract environmentally conscious travelers, boost brand
loyalty, and differentiate the hotel from competitors.
 Overall, effective water management is not only
environmentally responsible but also economically
beneficial and essential for maintaining a positive brand
image in the hospitality industry.
CHALLENGES IN WATER MANAGEMENT WITHIN HOTELS.
1. High Water Demand: Hotels have high water demands due
to guest amenities like showers, pools, and laundry
facilities. Managing this demand while ensuring water
conservation can be challenging.
2. Seasonal Variation: Water usage in hotels can vary
significantly depending on factors like occupancy rates and
seasonal fluctuations in tourism. Managing water
resources efficiently during peak and off-peak periods
requires careful planning.
3. Infrastructure Issues: Aging infrastructure, including
plumbing systems and water fixtures, can contribute to
leaks and inefficiencies. Upgrading and maintaining

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 infrastructure is essential for effective water management
but can be costly and disruptive.
4. Guest Behavior: Guests may not always prioritize water
conservation, leading to excessive usage through practices
like long showers or leaving taps running. Educating guests
about the importance of water conservation without
compromising their comfort is a delicate balance.
5. Wastewater Treatment: Treating wastewater generated by
hotels, including from kitchens, laundry, and bathrooms,
can be complex and costly. Implementing effective
treatment systems to recycle or safely dispose of
wastewater is essential but may require significant
investment.
6. Regulatory Compliance: Meeting regulatory requirements
for water quality and conservation can be challenging,
particularly in regions with strict environmental
regulations. Hotels must stay informed about relevant
laws and standards and ensure compliance to avoid
penalties.
7. Water Scarcity: In areas prone to water scarcity or
drought, hotels may face restrictions on water usage or be
subject to increased costs for accessing water resources.
Developing strategies to mitigate the impacts of water
scarcity is essential for long-term sustainability.
Addressing these challenges, requires a multifaceted approach,
including investment in water-saving technologies, guest
education programs, regular maintenance of infrastructure,
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and collaboration with local authorities and water management
agencies.
TIPS FOR BETTER HOTEL WATER MANAGEMENT.
 Hotels are facing increasing pressures from both guests and sector
organizations to manage water use more effectively. Here are top
10 tips for better hotel water management.

 The demand for water continues to grow while access to usable

sources remains fairly static with only 1% of the total being
available in rivers, lakes, and atmosphere and underground wells
for human consumption. With rising populations over the past 40
years, the water available per human has been halved.

 So it makes both commercial and environmental sense to manage

water use.

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1: Strategic vision – set up a water management plan
 The success of water saving strategies depends on the
development of a coherent, long-term water management plan
that has well-defined and achievable targets.
 The strategic plan will need to look into all aspects of the
organization, the teams involved, training needed and continual
monitoring and feedback.

 Robust data is crucial and success will depend on the identification

of water usage figures in detail. If not already in place, it is crucial
to have meters for overall consumption data as well as sub-
meters to show areas of highest consumption. This full water audit
is the bedrock for tactical planning and action

 The water audit will identify consumption figures that can be

compared with average benchmarks in the sector, highlighting
where the savings can be made. The audit will be blended with
data on water costs per guest over a given period and the
potential cost savings from implementation of efficiency.
 It’s important to combine these so that a coherent case can be
made to key stakeholders, particularly financial directors,
demonstrating the sound commercial basis for actions and
expenditure, including ROI, as well as benefits for the
environment.
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2: Set guidelines and focus on each area
 With the data in place, guidelines can be set for each area around
the best ways to save and conserve water, with a range of low-
flow technologies and products identified, and the potential
savings from each.
 For a sustainable strategy, it’s crucial to keep a close eye on the
products and technologies chosen with regular maintenance to
ensure optimum performance, identify leaks and any faults.

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3: Target bathroom savings
 Showers, taps and toilets consume around 30%-40% of a typical
hotel’s water. The guest room is a prime focus for water
reductions that are both commercially viable and sustainable.
 An eco-shower is one of the most effective ways of reducing the
amount of water used in a hotel, saving 50% on water usage with
no compromise on guest experience.
 There are added benefits because using less should cut the
amount of energy needed to heat the water and cut carbon
emissions.
 It’s clear that more hotel guests than ever are keenly aware of
environmental issues, which means that hotels need to balance
the best bathroom experience while reassuring their customers
that they are actively pursuing effective green policies.

 There is always the need for fittings that are robust, well-
manufactured and stylish. The range of options for both fixed and
hand eco showers is remarkable, with designs that will match
pretty much any guest bathroom design.

 The best low flow toilets for both guest rooms and rest rooms use
up to 84% less water and 80% less energy on average than
standard models while other models are duel flush so guests can
opt for a shorter flush.

 If full-scale refitting is not feasible, then the use of displacement

bags in the cistern helps to substantially reduce water usage.

 Eco taps reduce water consumption by over 50% with no negative

effect on guest experience and if current taps need to stay in

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 place in guest rooms and rest rooms then low-cost tap aerators
that achieve a similar effect can be considered.

 Again, maintenance programs are essential. For example, a

leaking toilet can waste 750 liters of water daily.

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4: Laundry efficiency
 The laundry is another prime area to make ongoing water savings.
Where feasible, always fully load machines and run a short rinse
cycle that does not reduce efficiency and think if it is possible to
install temporary holding tanks that can store water from
previous rinse cycles for the first wash of the next cycle.
 Replacement washing machines should have the best water
consumption rating. Larger hotels may need to investigate the
installation of continuous batch washers that uses the rinse water
for pre-washing and main operation. It’s important to make sure
that water flow rates on tunnel washers and continuous batch
washers are set to recommended settings.
 Ozone laundry systems, which inject ozone into the water, are
another option for maximizing water savings. The ozone combines
with laundry chemicals to provide a more efficient wash.
 Maintenance is also of prime importance with regular tests for
leaking dump valves and to make sure that water inlet valves
close effectively while also checking level controls on water reuse
tanks.
 But, if you outsource the laundry service, it is still beneficial to
check what water-saving measures the firm has in place and to
monitor these annually as part of the overall water strategy.

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5: Swimming pool efficiencies
 Hotel swimming pools can account for up to 10% of water use but
there are a range of measures that will reduce this significantly.

 Water sub-meter readings should be done at the same time every

day, late night and early morning, to identify any loss through
leaks and regular maintenance is essential to prevent these.

 To prevent evaporation and so minimize the need for refilling,

always cover swimming pools when not in use. And it’s very
effective to reduce the amount of backwashing from a daily
regime to just once every two or three days. Backwash systems
that collect the water are ideal, as this can be re-used in the
grounds and elsewhere.

 The use of push-button poolside showers is also a very effective

way of optimizing water use.

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6: Effective irrigation
 The gardens and grounds of many hotels need constant care but
for maximum water efficiency, it is wise not to deploy automated
systems. But if these are absolutely necessary, then use of
sprinkler timers is a highly effective way of minimizing
consumption, as are moisture sensors that avoid over-watering.
 As part of the overall strategic plan, make sure there are
procedures for manual watering while training gardeners to
minimize water use. Native plant species may need less water so
these are first choices. In hotter climates, make sure watering is
done in the cooler evenings.
 Hotels can also make good savings by harvesting rainwater from
roofs and gutters, diverting it to storage tanks or water butts for
use in the gardens and grounds. An added benefit is that plants
are healthier when watered with rainwater.
 The gardening teams will also be tasked with keeping soil well
composted with layers of wood chips to minimize moisture loss.

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7: Savings in the kitchen
 While fitting low-flow taps is not an option for many busy
kitchens, the most efficient models provide the flow needed for
rapid pan filling and other tasks.
 Training staff to avoid leaving taps running continuously where
possible is another major benefit, by pre-soaking of utensils and
dishes, for example. Washing fruit and vegetable in the sink rather
than under a full flowing tap also make substantial savings.
 In the same way, staff should be encouraged to not thaw food
under running water and avoid using running water to melt ice,
while where possible it’s a benefit to minimize ice machine usage
as well as adjusting them to dispense less ice.

8: Housekeeping training
 As part of the strategic plan, make sure that housekeeping staff
are trained on the best ways to reduce water consumption. These
include points like not letting taps run, using a mop rather than
hose to clean floors and setting the optimum number of times for
toilet flushing when cleaning.
 It’s important also to set up a linen reuse schedule that not only
will reduce water use but also prolong fabric life and save staff
time. The success of reuse policies revolve around guest support
so allow them to choose not to have their linen changed every
day.

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9: Harvesting grey water
 Grey water can be collected from baths and sinks to irrigate the
grounds and gardens. Efficient systems can also provide
wastewater to be returned to the hotel after treatment for toilet
flushing.
 However, the complexity of the pipework means considerable
expense so these systems are far easier to deploy in new
properties, although established properties are increasingly
choosing to install them. ROI can be between two to 15 years,
depending on the type of system chosen and water costs.
 It is also possible to install a system to treat black water from
toilets for irrigation use, as long as the process is carefully
managed.

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10: Staff training essential
 A central element of any successful water saving programme is
the buy-in from staff. It’s essential that the strategy is fully
explained to all employees, giving them the opportunity to
suggest ways to improve water savings.
 Well trained staff should respond positively to targets that they
understand and support, as well as guidelines and procedures for
optimizing water efficiencies. Open communication will also help
with ongoing feedback on what is working well and what does not
help, so that changes can be made.

CONCLUSION.

 Water Resources Management (WRM) is the process of planning,

developing, and managing water resources, in terms of both
water quantity and quality, across all water uses. It includes the
institutions, infrastructure, incentives, and information systems
that support and guide water management.
 Hotel managers need adequate water supplies to maintain
profitability and customer satisfaction
 Effective water management helps hotel owners to minimize
water waste, conserve resources, and promote sustainability. By
implementing smart water management practices, hotel owners
can significantly reduce their environmental impact while
achieving cost savings.

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