Water Conservation
Auto Body Shops
Pollution Prevention Guide
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Because we all depend on a safe water supply, it is important to protect and
conserve our water resources. The benefits of water conservation, or the efficient
use of water, include:
- Lower water bills
- Lower energy bills
- Less need to find new water sources
Major water conservation methods for auto body shops center on three areas:
Water Conservation Tips
Here are a number of no-cost and low-cost water conservation strategies you
can implement in your shop. Try to come up with some tips of your own.
Overall Shop Tips
- Posts signs to encourage water conservation.
- Reward employees who do their part to save water and come
up with water saving ideas.
- Do a water audit of your shop.
- Prioritize your water conservation ideas, implementing
one idea at a time before moving on to the next (especially if your ideas
cost money).
- Use a broom or vacuum to clean floors instead of water.
Faucet and Valve Water Outlet Tips
- Fix all leaks and drips as soon as possible.
- Encourage your co-workers to shut off water when soaping
up hands at the sink.
- Purchase water-conserving equipment.
- Install aerators on all faucets (breaks the flowing water
into fine droplets and injects air while maintaining wetting efficiency).
- Install low-flow toilets or toilet displacement devices
(saves more than one gallon of water per flush without affecting the normal
operation of the toilet).
- When washing vehicles, turn off the hose between rinses.
The following series of questions will help you develop ways of preventing
pollution through water conservation:
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Water Conservation
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YES
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NO
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| 1) Do you take steps to conserve water? As discussed
earlier in this section, taking steps to conserve water can reduce your
water and energy bills dramatically and help prevent pollution. |
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| 2) Have you trained your employees to conserve water?
Water conservation is everyone's business, so place signs by each sink
and hose outlet advising them to "Please Turn Off the Water". |
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| 3) Do you run a "dry shop"? Seal off all floor drains
and make your facility a "dry shop". All fluid spills will then be prevented
from going "down the drain" and becoming a problem for the municipal wastewater
treatment plant or your septic system. Use "wet-vacs" for spill clean-up
along. with other non-hazardous spill clean-up techniques. |
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| 4) Have you insulated your water heater or cooler and related
pipes? Insulating your water heater, cooler, and related pipes
can help save energy and water. |
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| 5) Have you installed rain sensors in your sprinkler system?
If you water your lawn, consider installing a simple rain sensor. This
device will automatically shut down your watering system during a rain shower. |
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| 6) Have you installed an oil-water separator? Oil-water
separators and skimmers can help reduce the amount of hazardous wastewater
and sludge you have to dispose of by separating out the oil, which can then
be recycled. |
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Fact sheet 18 of 18
Montana State University Extension
Service
Pollution Prevention Program Taylor Hall Bozeman, Montana 59717
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