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We've developed simple benchmarks so you can see how your business's water use compares. Benchmarking helps you measure your performance, compare your performance against other similar businesses, identify potential inefficiencies, determine realistic operating targets and better plan for changes in your operations. Find the appropriate benchmark for your business type.
Each business type has its own benchmark measure for efficient water use. An important part of your benchmark is the Key Business Activity Indicator (KBAI). This is a measure of how much water an efficient business uses for specific activities.
Follow these steps to work out your benchmark.
Now find the appropriate benchmark for your business type.
For more details, read our Best practice guidelines for water management in aquatic leisure centres
| Rating | Benchmark per bather | Benchmark per patron |
|---|---|---|
| Best practice | < 20 L | < 10 L |
| Efficient | <20 to 40 L | 10 to 25 L |
| Fair | 40 to 60 L | 25 to 40 L |
| Inefficient | > 60 L | > 40 L |
For more details, read ourBest practice guidelines for water management in clubs.
| Club facility type | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| With no cooling tower or swimming pool | 20 L per customer per day |
| With cooling towers and no swimming pool | 22 L per customer per day |
| With cooling towers and swimming pool | 28 L per customer per day |
| Rating | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Efficient | < 35 L per food cover |
| Fair | 35 to 45 L per food cover |
| Inefficient | > 45 L per food cover |
| Rating | Benchmark without reuse water | Benchmark with reuse water |
|---|---|---|
| Efficient | 17 to 22 L per kilogram linen | 12 to 15 L per kilogram linen |
| Fair | 22 to 26 L per kilogram linen | 15 to 18 L per kilogram linen |
| Inefficient< | > 26 L per kilogram linen | > 18 L per kilogram linen |
For more details, read our:
| Rating | Benchmark with cooling towers | Benchmark without cooling towers |
|---|---|---|
| Best practice | 0.77 kL per square metre per year | 0.40 kL per square metre per year |
| Efficient | 0.84 kilolitres per square metre per year | 0.47 kilolitres per square metre per year |
| Fair | 1.01 kL per square metre per year | 0.64 kL per square metre per year |
The Sustainable Destination Partner – Water Efficiency Summary Report may help you identify water-saving opportunities at your site.
| Rating | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Best practice | 0.4 kL per room per day |
| Efficient | 0.4 to 0.45 kL per room per day |
For more details, read our Best practice guidelines for holistic open space turf management in Sydney
| Rating | Best practice benchmark |
|---|---|
| Elite | 4 to 9 megalitres per hectare per year |
| Regional | 2.5 to 5 megalitres per hectare per year |
| Local | 1.5 to 3.5 megalitres per hectare per year |
| Passive | 0 to 2.5 megalitres per hectare per year |
You'll find specific resources to help you improve your water efficiency with your business type, above.
Here are some more.
Our Seven-point plan for holistic water management (196KB) provides a useful bite-size framework for businesses to develop a resource management plan to structure and prioritise their water management.
We commissioned a water efficiency segment analysis for hotels, hostels and entertainment venues for the City of Sydney and the Sustainable Destination Partnership. The project included an assessment of water use at 10 sample sites across Sydney. It provided:
You can explore the findings and recommendations for the participants of the segment analysis in the Sustainable Destination Partner – Water Efficiency Summary Report (3.2MB). This may be a helpful resource to help identify water-saving opportunities at your site.
If you have a relationship manager, we can assist with benchmarking your business's water use. We'll organise a relationship management meeting to help you:
Call your business customer representative on 1300 985 227 or email us at businesscustomers@sydneywater.com.au.