Hotels

Conservation Tips for Hotels

Benchmarks

Use these water-use guidelines to make sure you are using water efficiently.

Hotel type Typical water consumption
Bed and Breakfast 7,925 gallons (30 cubic meters) per bed space per year
2-3 star 10,566 gallons (40 cubic meters)  per bed space per year
4-5 star 21,133 gallons (80 cubic meters)  per bed space per year

Tips

Hotels: Guest Rooms

  • Install WaterSense®-labeled ultra-high-efficiency toilets.
  • Install showerheads with a flow of 2.5 gallons per minute or less.
  • Install sink aerators to reduce the flow to 1.5 gallons per minute.
  • Participate in linen reuse programs

Hotels: Public amenities and staff rooms

  • Install WaterSense®-labeled ultra-high-efficiency toilets.
  • Install WaterSense®-labeled urinals that use 0.125 gallon per flush or less. 
  • Install sink aerators to reduce flow to 1.5 gallons per minute or less.
  • Equip ice machines with air-cooled condensers. 
  • Install aerators on mop sinks to reduce each sink’s flow to 2.5 gallons per minute.

Hotels: Heating and cooling

  • Eliminate single-pass (once-through) cooling water in air compressors and other equipment by using chillers, cooling towers or air-cooled equipment.
  • Minimize blow-down on cooling towers and boilers by using a conductivity controller.

Hotels: Laundry

  • Always run full loads of laundry.
  • Install ozone systems to reduce water detergent and energy use.

Hotels: Kitchens

  • Install aerators on kitchen sinks to reduce each faucet’s flow to 2.5 gallons per minute or less.
  • Use 1.6 gallons-per-minute pre-rinse spray valves to rinse dishes. Contact Denver Water for a free, professionally installed pre-rinse spray valve. Call 303-893-2444 for more information. Water savings potential: 50,000 gallons per year; energy savings potential:  330 therms for gas hot-water heating per year.
  • Use boilerless steamers that consume three gallons per hour or less. Water savings potential: 162,000 gallons per year; energy savings potential: 26,000 kilowatt-hours per year.
  • Use energy-efficient flake or nugget machines instead of cube ice machines. Water savings potential: 38,000 gallons per year; energy savings potential: 2,500 kwh per year.
  • Defrost food in the refrigerator instead of under running water. Water savings potential: 65,700 gallons per year.
  • Use dishwasher equipment that meets efficiency standards set by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency and install steam doors to reduce evaporation. Water savings potential: 450,000 gallons per year.
  • Use dishwashers and C-line conveyors with electronic sensors, door switches, etc., to stop water from flowing when they’re not washing.
  • Replace worn and missing water jets on dishwashers.

Hotels: Irrigation and landscape

  • Follow Denver Water’s watering rules (no watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and no more than three days a week).
  • Do not exceed 18 gallons of water per square foot of irrigated areas.

Hotels: Policy

  • Include water efficiency in the company’s environmental policy statement.
  • Delegate water efficiency responsibilities.
  • Establish quantitative water efficiency goals and communicate those goals to employees.
  • Inspect for leaks regularly. 
  • Use a sub-meter and monitor for excessive water consumption or leaks.