Water usage in labs is often much higher than people expect. Like energy usage, you can maximise water efficiency by taking simple actions in the lab to become more sustainable. These actions can include:

• practising good laboratory etiquette and using signage to remind other users how to use water efficiently
• checking taps or pipes for leaks and making sure they are firmly switched off after use to prevent drips that would otherwise waste significant amounts of water over time
• only running equipment when full (like filling up a dishwasher at home) to make the most of the water used

Retrofit old equipment with water saving devices

Check your lab equipment to see if there are any upgrades or alternatives that use water-saving devices, which could save up to 90% of water used. However, only upgrade equipment if the environmental benefits outweigh the environmental impact associated with producing and procuring new equipment.

Find out more about purchasing responsibly in labs.

You can also:

• identify chillers and other equipment that use single-pass cooling, where water is only used to cool equipment once before being discarded – swapping these for closed loop or recirculating water systems will dramatically reduce water consumption
• install timers or use a timer plug with equipment that uses continuous water but is not required all the time, such as ice machines – contact leaf@bath.ac.uk if you need a timer plug
• install low-flow aerators on taps, which can reduce water flow by more than half without changing water pressure
• fit flow restrictors when equipment requires mains-to-drain cooling - this makes sure the flow is not greater than needed

Change your equipment to reduce water use

Phase out aspirator pumps and replace them with vacuum pumps. This will offer significant water savings as vacuum pumps do not require any water for operation.

Use thermal beads such as Lab Armor as an alternative to water in your water bath to:

• cut your water use
• reduce energy consumption by more than 40%
• remove the need for any racks or plasticware to hold tubes and vessels in place

Use water types responsibly

Make sure all lab users understand different water types and how to use them responsibly. It can benefit the environment, for example, knowing that:

• purified water should only be used when necessary
• it takes approximately 3 litres of water to make 1 litre of deionised water

Report a water issue

Report any water issues, like drips or leaks, to Campus Infrastructure as soon as possible.