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36. Faucets, fixtures and hoses do not leak.
Dripping faucets, toilets that constantly run and faulty hoses may not seem like significant wastes of water, but their leaks can add up to surprising losses over time. A single leaky faucet, for example, can waste hundreds of gallons of water per year. Repairs and routine maintenance can be simple processes that keep your fixtures and equipment working longer while reducing water waste.
37. Faucets in kitchens, break rooms, and restrooms have aerators installed (1.5 gallons per minute or less for kitchens and break rooms; 1.0 gpm for restrooms). Aerators can be provided at no cost.
Find the gallons per minute (gpm) number stamped into the outer edge of the aerators that you have in place on your faucets now. If your kitchen faucet uses 2.0 gpm or greater, or if your bathroom faucet uses 1.5 gpm or greater, installing low-flow aerators is an easy and inexpensive way to reduce water use without needing to replace your fixtures.
Aerators can be found for most faucet sizes. In fact, if the faucets at your business are standard fixtures rather than custom-made, we can give you aerators for free. This simple change can limit the flow rate on bathroom and kitchen faucets to less than half of what standard faucets use.
38. Toilets and urinals are WaterSense-approved (1.28 gallons per flush for toilets; 0.5 for urinals).
Replacing old, inefficient toilets and urinals can reduce the amount of water used by those fixtures by 20-60%. The EPA maintains a listing of WaterSense-labeled plumbing fixtures, but many manufacturers provide that information on their own websites as well.
39. The majority of landscaping is native and drought-tolerant.
Planting native and drought-tolerant plants conserves water and reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers that can pollute local waterways. Using native plants in landscaping also brings the beauty of our region’s natural areas closer to home. Many native plants also can have dual positive impacts, including helping native wildlife and pollinators thrive . If you have an automatic watering system, check it annually for leaks and efficient operation. Don’t be that business – you know, the one with its sprinklers running in January or watering the sidewalk. Rain sensors for your sprinkler heads can be installed at a low cost.
40. Only tap water is provided; no bottled or delivered water.
You’re already paying for high-quality water each month to come through your taps. Are you also paying for bottled water on top of that – perhaps having it trucked in, or offering it in single-serve bottles? If so, encourage everyone to instead use refillable bottles filled at the sink or a bottle refill station. If there’s any concern about water quality (due to aging pipes, for instance), don’t make assumptions. Instead, call your water provider and request a water testing kit. A kit will test for lead, copper and iron.
If you decide water straight out of the tap isn’t for you, there are a number of local companies that can provide directly plumbed, filtered water dispensers that enable you to eliminate bottle transportation and waste. Let us know if you would like more information about this.
41. Water use is monitored and evaluated annually for conservation opportunities.
Tracking water use gives your organization the ability to raise staff awareness about the financial and environmental impacts of your actions and your building’s fixtures. Collect this information to set a baseline and then track progress toward goals. If your business is billed directly by your water utility, use the details provided on your bill to monitor your use. If you share a water meter or billing with others, or if it’s bundled within your lease payment, tracking water is still possible but requires several estimations.
Tracking your water use gives your organization the ability to raise awareness about the financial and environmental impacts of your actions and equipment. Collect this information to set a baseline and track progress toward goals. If your business is billed directly by utilities, use the details from your water bills to maintain a spreadsheet.
Stormwater Pollution Prevention
42. Storm drains are permanently marked to provide pollution prevention education (Markers can be provided at no cost).
Storm drains flow directly to waterways and are not connected to municipal sewer systems. This means that anything poured down a storm drain or collected with rainwater ends up in our local rivers and streams. Storm drain markers provide an important visual reminder that pollutants such as paint, motor oil, antifreeze, non-biodegradable car wash soaps, and pesticides that make their way into these drains are discharged into the ecosystem without treatment, threatening fish, wildlife, and drinking water supply downstream.
Some cities will provide you with a storm drain marker, or even install them for you. Your Sustainability Advisor can also install storm drain markers at no cost. Not all drains are storm drains, so if your business is in a leased space, speak with your property manager to identify the locations of storm drains on the property.
If your garbage enclosure has a drain, confirm it is connected to the sewer system. To avoid potential contaminants entering waterways, wastewater from cleaning operations should be managed properly. The available free storm drain markers mentioned
above can point out to staff and the public which drains lead straight to a stream and thus should not be used for these purposes.
43. Outside garbage and recycling containers are in good condition, have lids and the enclosure is free of litter.
When garbage containers’ lids are left open, and when garbage bags and litter are left on the ground inside an enclosure, it creates a number of problems. Rainwater that gets into garbage containers can drain out, carrying with it pollutants and unsanitary wastewater. Garbage and litter left on the ground can lead others to not take necessary steps to properly dispose of garbage and recycling. Open lids can also cause lightweight items like plastic bags to escape enclosures and end up as litter or in local waterways. A well-maintained garbage enclosure, by contrast, reduces odors, helps keep pests away and minimizes the risk of wastewater pollution. It also makes for a safer and better overall employee experience while encouraging employees to use appropriate waste procedures.
44. Parking areas and loading docks are kept free of litter and oil drips, and containers or signage discourage littering.
If not properly dealt with, litter and oil in parking lots can enter the storm sewer system or clog surface storm drains. The storm sewer system carries untreated rainfall runoff directly into local waterways, meaning that litter and oil can simply wind up as pollution in the local ecosystem. Make it easy for customers, employees, and delivery drivers to properly dispose of their garbage in exterior containers, ideally located close to your business’s entry. Signage can also be an effective deterrent to littering.
Oil drips, on the other hand, require an even more proactive approach. Oil will damage asphalt if it sits for too long, and rainwater will cause it to quickly run into storm drains. It can also be a slip hazard. Some businesses keep absorbent materials such as baking soda on hand in order to soak up oil drips. Do not simply spray oil with water to direct it down the storm drain, and don’t choose harsh cleaners that will be toxins in the local watershed if it drains away. Large oil drips are typically found at parking spots and loading docks, but they can also come from exterior grease bins at restaurants.
45. Stormwater management facilities, such as bioswales and eco-roofs, are in place and maintained to regulatory standards.
Bioswales are small or large rain gardens that collect stormwater runoff from streets. (They are sometimes also called "green streets" when they are located in the public right-of-way.) Bioswales keep stormwater out of the sewer system and local streams, increase urban green space, improve air quality and replenish groundwater. An eco-roof decreases storm water runoff, reduces erosion, absorbs carbon dioxide, cools urban heat islands and filters air pollutants. If you have a large parking lot area and want to convert some of it to greenspace, there are organizations that help to remove unnecessary pavement and put in green spaces. Additionally, Water Environmental Services has grants available for watershed projects.
46. Storm catch basins are cleaned annually.
By trapping sediment, catch basins prevent solids from clogging the storm system and washing into receiving waters. Catch basins must be cleaned periodically to maintain their ability to trap sediment and prevent flooding. The removal of sediment, decaying debris, and highly polluted water from catch basins has aesthetic and water quality benefits as well, including reducing foul odors, reducing suspended solids, and reducing the load of oxygen-demanding substances that reach receiving waters. Some water providers within the county have clean out assistance programs including Milwaukie, Oregon City, and Water Environment Services . Ask your water provider if there are special rates offered in your water district.
47. The tree canopy adjacent to paved areas or the street supports stormwater management by reducing runoff.
Mature street trees absorb stormwater runoff and carbon dioxide, keep parking lots one to five degrees cooler and even entice shoppers to visit commercial districts. They can also slow the flow of water entering storm drains, preventing toxic materials and debris from entering storm drains.
48. Practices and devices for fat, oil and grease management are in place and regularly maintained.
All food/beverage establishments that are connected to the public sewer system must have an approved grease interceptor. It must be effectively sized, installed and maintained to keep fat, oil, grease (FOG) and food debris out of the public sewer system. A grease interceptor is designed to capture FOG before it discharges to the public sewer. Grease interceptors need effective inspection and pump out service. The recommended cleaning frequency varies by the type of grease interceptor, types of food served and kitchen cleaning practices. They are inspected by the local authority that enforces the federal Clean Water Act and related state and local laws, in partnership with the public works department. Cleanwater Services has training information for kitchen staff available in English and Spanish. One of the resources to help you find a rendering company to service the grease interceptor is the Preferred Pumper Program — a registry of grease interceptor pump-out companies that have agreed to train staff on approved cleaning procedures.
