Water is life

Virtually everything we do or use each day involves

water. Yet, we do not give it the importance that is
due to it. India will soon be a water-stressed country
and we all need to work towards our water security.
Simple actions can be adopted to reduce the
wastage of water and use it wisely.

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Water audit for
a school

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 CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION
– What is a Water Audit?
– How does it help?
– Importance of Water Audit
– Myths
– Audit types

• AUDIT PROCESS
– Conducting Audits – First Steps
– Measurements, Water Consumption
– Water consumption Pattern

• MOVING AHEAD
– Identifying and Fixing the Problem
– Water Conservation
– Awareness

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 Definition: Water Audit is a qualitative and quantitative
analysis of water consumption to identify means of
Reducing, Reusing and Recycling of water.

INTRODUCTION
AUDIT PROCESS
4 MOVING AHEAD
 HOW DOES IT HELP?

• A water audit can help save money by reducing school water

bills

• Water conservation helps our cities – Cities are stressed for

water resources.

• A water audit will help reduce wastage and unnecessary use.

• It makes the students more aware and responsible.

• A water audit can be a student project that encompasses a

number of subjects
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 DID YOU KNOW?

It is possible to cut your

water usage by 10-30% by
implementing simple
conservation measures

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 IMPORTANCE OF WATER AUDIT

• Systematic process

• May yield some surprising results

• Easier to work on solutions when the problems are identified

• A tracking mechanism can be put into place

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 MYTHS

Doesn’t compromise on quality of water

Doesn’t make water a priority over studies

Doesn't require the student to stay beyond school hours

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 AUDIT PROCESS

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 AUDIT PROCESS

Measurements

Implementation
Calculations

Planning and process finalization

Audit observations

Zeroing in on conservation Report

steps that can be taken
INTRODUCTION
Discussions AUDIT PROCESS
10 MOVING AHEAD
 Decide the time period of
your water audit

1 day/yr,
1 wk/yr,
1 month/yr,
1 day/Season

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 FIRST STEPS
MEASUREMENTS

INTRODUCTION
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MEASUREMENTS- SUPPLY

What are the sources of water for the school ?

• Municipal supply
• Bore well
• Dug well
• Tankers
• Others

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FIRST STEPS- MEASUREMENTS

Estimate the quantity of water supplied from each source

Bore well and Dug well supplies…

1. Measure flow rate ( time taken to fill a 10 litre

bucket at the outlet of the pump.)

2. Keep a track of number of hours the pump is on in a

day (record every day of the week for two weeks).

3. Use these two to calculate the quantity of water

withdrawn
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MEASUREMENTS- SUPPLY

Estimate the quantity of water supplied from each source

Municipal Supply
Tabulate monthly municipal water supply (from bills)
for the past three years in the supply tracking sheet

For tankers….
Using bills, tabulate the amount of water received
on a monthly basis using the supply tracking sheet

Tabulate consumption patterns and depict

using graphical tools

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FIRST STEPS- MEASUREMENTS

Map the water points and usage areas

• Draw a plan of the school premises showing the building and main features.
• Mark the water supply inlets and storage tanks

Municipal supply
Bore well
Dug well
Tankers

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FIRST STEPS- MEASUREMENTS

•Mark all water points (toilets, hand wash points, Sinks in labs,
drinking water fountains, canteen, irrigation taps, water meters,
pumps etc.

•Identify each point with an alphanumeric code

•Colour code freshwater and waste water lines

• Mark where the waste water goes.

• Mark the storm water drain system in the premises, if any.

INTRODUCTION
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17 MOVING AHEAD
 L- OUTLET
MUNCIPALITY SEWER
L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L- INLET
DRAIN PIPE

GT1 GT2 GT3 GT4

BT- INLET

LAB
GT- INLET
BT- OUTLET
WASH WASH GT- OUTLET
BOYS TOILET GIRLS TOILET
BT1 BT2 DN1
BT3 BT4 DRINKING WATER INLET
TAP

GARDEN
WATER TANK

C- INLET
WATER TANK
Municipal supply
CT1 CT2 CT3 Bore well
Dug well
C- OUTLET PUMP HOUSE Tankers

UNDERGROUND SUMP

KITCHEN INTRODUCTION
DRAIN PIPE
AUDIT PROCESS
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FIRST STEPS- MEASUREMENTS
19 DRAW A WATER FLOW CHART

Supply

Underground Sump

Overhead Tank

Washing Toilets Gardening Drinking

W1 W2 Wn T1 T2 Tn G1 G2 Gn D1 D2 Dn

Sewage INTRODUCTION
AUDIT PROCESS
19 MOVING AHEAD
 Calculations :
water
consumption

• Can you meter water consumption at various inlet

points?

• Meters are expensive.

• Can you purchase one meter and use it in rotation to

monitor water use at different locations?

• If you cannot afford a meter, use surveys, observations

and calculations
INTRODUCTION
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 Calculations:
water consumption

Estimating Water use without a meter

Calculate the quantity of water that flows
out through each tap.
• Calculate the flow of water using a measuring jar
and a stop watch.

• Monitor / survey the time for which the tap is open

in a day.

• Fill this data in the consumption tracking sheet. INTRODUCTION

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 Calculations: Water Consumption

• To calculate flow of toilets, turn off the water supply to

the toilet, mark the water line on the inside of the tank,
flush and then fill the tank with water from mug.

• Measure the volume of one mug and record number of

mugs required to fill water back up to the water line mark.

• Monitor / survey the number of times each toilet is used.

•Fill this data in the consumption tracking sheet.

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INTRODUCTION
AUDIT PROCESS
MOVING AHEAD
Calculations:
water consumption

Estimating Water use without a meter

• Follow similar procedures to estimate water use at each water

outlet.

• The consumption tracking sheet will help you calculate the

total quantity of water used in a day.

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 AUDIT OBSERVATIONS

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 SUPPLY INPUT

Speak to the person in charge of the

water valves and pumps.

• Is water usage planned or is pump switched on when water

levels in the tank are low?

• What monitoring mechanisms are in place to check tank overflow?

• How often does the tank overflow?

• How much water is wasted each time the tank overflows?

INTRODUCTION
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 FIXTURES AND FITTINGS
• At each water outlet point
make a note of:

• Type of fixture (dual flush toilet, capacity

of flush tank, type of tap spring-loaded /
screw type / lever, etc.)

• Notice condition of fixtures – dirty,

stuck, leaking, broken etc.
INTRODUCTION
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 ANALYSIS AND REPORT

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 WATER
CONSUMPTION
PATTERN

When tabulating the consumption patterns, you may come

across varied results from the normal.
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 28
Consumption of water in winter may be less

Consumption of water in summer just before the holidays

may be high

Rainy season – you might not consume water for

gardening purpose

Exams, Weekends and Holidays – water consumption

is likely to be less

Allow for variations due to the above reasons when INTRODUCTION

you are analysing the tabulated results AUDIT PROCESS
29 MOVING AHEAD
 INTRODUCTION
Quantify water use in a Flowchart AUDIT PROCESS
MOVING AHEAD

Supply

X
Underground Sump

Overhead Tank
Y = ?X
0.4Y 0.25Y 0.3Y 0.05Y

Washing Toilets Gardening Drinking

Leaks Leaks

30 Sewage
 INTRODUCTION
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MOVING AHEAD

IS THERE A PROBLEM?

Ideal scenario : no losses

Average scenario : 15 – 30% losses

There is a problem : losses > 30%

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 MOVING AHEAD

DISCUSSIONS
AND TAKING THE RIGHT STEPS

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FIRST, FIX THE PROBLEMS

Leaks and overflow

• Identify the points where there are losses

• Identify the solutions

• Assign the responsibility for implementation.

• Implement the solutions

• Prepare a Monitoring schedule

• Assign a person for monitoring. INTRODUCTION

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 WAYS TO
CONSERVE
3. Conduct
WATER Group discussions
and brainstorming sessions

1. Represent water
usage graphically
4. List down your
Suggestions for each area
2. Identify areas where
where water is used
water can be conserved

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 WAYS TO CONSERVE WATER

Garden
Keep a check on hoses in the garden

Try out efficient devices like the spray nozzles

Drip Irrigation

Plant native plants that require less water

Change the ground surfaces and vegetation to control run

off in the school grounds

Water the roots of the plant and don't splash water all around
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WAYS TO CONSERVE WATER

Toilets and washing points

• Reduce the flush water volume in toilets.

• Replace single flush cisterns with dual

flush

• Install low flow fixtures for taps.

Install a rainwater harvesting system and use the

water for toilets, cleaning floors and gardening.
INTRODUCTION
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 Suggest solutions for these
spaces.

TOILET

LAB

Can the water from the wash WASH

area be diverted to the garden
area for watering the plants ? INTRODUCTION
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 AWARENESS

1. Create interesting
awareness programmes.

2. Praise the water audit

and water conservation 3. Request students not to
teams during assembly. play with water taps.
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DARWIN ADVISES
• Analyze your situation
for the pieces that fit.

• Everything evolves, including

water conservation programs.

• Document….document….
• Learn from other schools what to disseminate it to others.
works and what doesn’t.

INTRODUCTION
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