Clean and cheap potable water on demand has long been an expectation for developed countries, but recent events demonstrate that is not an endlessly available resource, according to an article from Building Operating Management on the FacilitiesNet website.
For facility managers, water is a critical resource to not only flush toilets and water lawns, but also feed cooling towers, chill data centers, provide process water, and so on.
Access to potable water is a business continuity issue, but not enough people are prioritizing it that way.
Just as with energy, the steps facility managers should undertake to save water involve understanding how much water is used, what it is used for, what the business impacts are if access to potable water is lost, what steps can be taken to reduce water demand, and what steps can be taken to safeguard a critical supply of water so the facility remains operational regardless of what man or nature throw at it.