The Innavi Quick Guide – to becoming waterwise
Are you waterwise? Not sure, well your water waste could be negatively impacting your margins and the environment.
The average water use per restaurant cover in Australia is approximately 35 litres. This is considered efficient by current standards, but it’s a well-known fact that many venues exceed this benchmark by at least 20% and as water becomes more of a commodity, we can expect the cost of that to increase significantly over time.
In the hectic world of hospitality, water is often treated as an infinite resource, flowing freely from taps, hoses, and dishwashers. But as Australia faces increasingly unpredictable weather and the threat of drought or flood contamination, the “water debt” accumulated by commercial kitchens is becoming a liability we can no longer afford to ignore.
Reducing water usage isn't just about environmental stewardship; it is a critical strategy to cut operational costs and build resilience.
Read on to see how you can turn off the tap on waste and start settling your water debt.
Hardest worker in the kitchen
Your dishwasher is the hardest worker in your venue, often accounting for up to 70% of the total water usage. However, if not chosen or managed correctly, it can also be one of the largest sources of waste.
When selecting a dishwasher, it's essential to opt for water-efficient models that fit your specific needs. Start by considering the size and overall water use per cycle. A key feature to look for in passthrough units is a condensing hood. These innovative hoods capture and recycle steam back into the dishwasher instead of letting it escape into the kitchen. This not only conserves water but also lowers energy consumption and speeds up cycle times, ensuring that your "hardest worker" is also your smartest.
Additionally, aged or poorly maintained warewashing or any other equipment that utilises water (ice machine and combi unit) can contribute significantly to water waste due to leaks and inefficient heating or cooling. So investing in the latest technology is a smart choice that doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag, meaning sustainability can be accessible and practical without sacrificing quality or performance.
The right workflows
Technology is only half the solution; the rest lies in human behaviour. Establishing the right workflows is essential for a truly water-efficient operation.
Simple changes to daily habits can yield massive results. For instance, ensuring staff scrape plates immediately during service significantly reduces the water needed for rinsing before the wash cycle. Beyond the scullery, adopting a philosophy of "running leaner kitchens" and making smarter decisions with stock helps respect ingredients from start to finish. This mindset shifts the focus from disposal to efficiency, ensuring that water, resources and dollars aren't poured down the drain.
Check your tapware
It is easy to overlook the fixtures that deliver water to your business, but inefficient tapware can be a silent leak in your budget.
Ensuring your kitchen is fitted with efficient water flow is a simple, high-impact intervention. With a wide range of technology solutions available for commercial use, upgrading your tapware is a practical step toward a positive outcome on sustainability in your venue and for the industry.
Solutions like Foot-Pedal systems, great for hygiene, also add a level of user-conscious usability, IOT (Internet of things) devices can report on water used in different sections so you can drill down into your operations and add efficiencies where they matter the most.
Don’t stop in the kitchen though, check your front of house & bathroom tapware, a quick refresh could stop you losing money down the drain.
Food Waste = Water Waste
In Australia, approximately 3,500 litres of water is lost for every kilogram of food waste generated, making food waste a significant contributor to the industry’s environmental footprint. While water consumption might not be the first consideration when we think of food waste, it's essential to recognise that when food ends up in the bin (often headed for landfill) we're not just discarding the product itself; we're also wasting the enormous amounts of water used in its production. For instance, producing a kilogram of beef can require around 15,400 litres of water, and even plant-based options like lettuce require 240 litres per kilogram (according to the Water Footprint Network). Each time high-resource ingredients, such as steak, are wasted, it translates to thousands of litres of water going down the drain.
With the hospitality sector responsible for 12% of the world's food waste, addressing this issue is critical for both sustainability and operational efficiency. To combat food waste, understanding where and how food waste occurs is the best way to reduce it. You can do this through traditional methods like daily reports and bin reviews, or by leveraging innovative technology like AI auditing systems. Once this information is collected, you can implement new workflows to reduce the amount of food that ends up in the bin and lessen your water debt.
Water Contamination and New Regulation
With changing regulations, local and federal governments are starting to focus on how operators manage water usage and waste. As water becomes a precious commodity and sustainability reporting increases, the food service industry must scrutinise what goes down the sink. A significant shift is expected in reducing toxic chemicals and microplastics from cleaning products, making now the perfect time to explore alternatives like eWater.
eWater systems provide an effective way to minimise your water footprint while rethinking cleaning processes. Instead of relying on resource-heavy chemicals, eWater uses electrolysis to convert water, salt, and electricity into a powerful cleaning solution, eliminating harmful substances and cutting water usage. Plus, eWater systems don’t require hot water, offering savings on both water and energy.
As we prepare for these upcoming regulations, adopting cleaner practices will not only help avoid potential fines but also enhance your business’s reputation as an environmental leader. For more information on this innovative technology, visit eWater Systems Australia.
Need a hand?
Innavi have a range of solutions to help you reduce your water use, from AI Audits, tapware, warewashing and training. Our goal is to help the industry become wiser with water.
Sources:
🔗 Sydney Water — Retail Food Trade Wastewater & Saving Water in Your Food Business
https://www.sydneywater.com.au/.../Retail-food-trade-wastewater_saving-water-in-your-food-business.pdf
🔗 Urban Utilities — Food Preparation Water Efficiency Guide
https://urbanutilities.com.au/.../food-preparation-water-efficiency-guide.pdf
🔗 Water Footprint Network — Water Footprint of Animal Products (Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2012)
https://www.waterfootprint.org/.../WaterFootprintFarmAnimalProducts_1.pdf
🔗 Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water — Food Waste & Circular Economy Framework
https://www.dcceew.gov.au/.../food-waste#australias-circular-economy-framework-202
🔗 End Food Waste Australia — Impact Report 2024
https://endfoodwaste.com.au/.../AFP_Impact-Report-2024_170225_Digital.pdf
Written by Kelly Steele, Head of Growth & Projects - Innavi
