20 Practical Water Saving Tips for Homes and Commercial Buildings in India

Quick answer: The most impactful water saving tips for Indian homes include fixing leaks, harvesting rainwater, and reusing RO wastewater. For commercial buildings and offices, the highest-impact actions are installing waterless urinals, low-flow fixtures, and treating wastewater for reuse. Together, these measures can reduce water consumption by 30–70% depending on building type and footfall.

India has little freshwater but a lot of people live there. The Central Ground Water Board says that many areas are using up groundwater quickly. Places like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi are using more water than they have. Haryana is an example; its water level has gone down a lot, about 5.41 metres in the last ten years. This is a problem for India and its people especially in places, like Ambala where the water level is going down very fast and India is using a lot of its freshwater.

The water crisis is not coming. It is already here — under our homes, our water-offices, our malls, and our hospitals.

The good news is that saving water does not need investments. Simple daily habits at homes can save a lot of water. Offices can use waterless urinals and sensor taps to cut water use by 50% or more and save money on water bills. Water conservation is very important for water.

This guide covers 20 actionable water saving tips divided into two sections: Homes and Commercial Buildings — so you can find what applies to your environment immediately.

Water Saving Tips for Homes

Daily habits at home use a lot of water in India. Bathing, using the toilet, doing laundry and kitchen work are the water users. The problem is, most water waste at home is hard to see. Examples include a tap dripping slowly not filling the washing machine and wasting RO water. As a result families. Pay for more water than they think. However small changes in these areas can save a lot of water and money over time. These changes do not require any investment. They can make a difference.

1. Take showers instead of baths

Bathing uses the water in Indian homes. It is around 30 to 35 percent of the total water used. Filling a bathtub uses more than 100 litres of water. A shower is better; it uses around 40 to 60 litres of water for five minutes. But a water-efficient showerhead is even better: it uses 20 to 25 litres of water for a shower. Bathing and showering are the things bathing uses a lot of water so a water-efficient showerhead is a good idea for bathing. Bathing with a water- showerhead is a good choice.

A family of four can save a lot of water. They can do this by taking 5-minute showers of daily baths. Water saved is 1,20,000–3,00,000 litres per year. This is a difference. It is, like filling a 1,000-litre tank every day. The family of four will be just as clean and comfortable. They will just use water. This is a way for a family of four to save water.

To save water and money get a low-flow showerhead for ₹200–₹800. Use a timer or phone alarm for 5 minute showers. Do not waste water, collect it to use for plants or cleaning. This water runs before the shower gets hot. It is a way to save. Install the showerhead. Start saving water and money. Using the collected water for plants or cleaning it is very useful. This will help to save water and money so get a low-flow showerhead and start saving water and money with the shower.

For households where taking a bath every day is what they like to do, making a small change can help. Using a bucket to take a bath or a shower is a good start. This uses water, usually around 15 to 20 litres. It is a thing to do but it is a step in the right direction. Taking a bucket bath is a way to save water for households that like to take a bath every day.

2. Turn off the tap while brushing teeth, shaving, or washing your face

Water saving is very important. In India a tap that is not turned off uses 6 litres of water per minute. When you brush your teeth with the tap on you waste 12 litres of water. If four people in a family brush their teeth twice a day with the tap, they waste 96 litres of water every day. This is a lot of water. Water saving from tooth brushing is very important because it can save a lot of water. Tooth brushing with the tap on is a habit that wastes water.

When we add shaving and face washing to our routine a lot of water gets wasted. This is because the tap is running all the time. Shaving takes around three to five minutes with the tap on. Face washing and rinsing also waste a lot of water. An average Indian adult wastes an amount of water every year around 15,000 to 20,000 litres from bathroom tap habits that do not need any water to flow. This is a lot of water from bathroom tap habits, like shaving and face washing.

The fix is simple. Just be aware. Make a small change. When brushing teeth, wet the brush, turn off the tap, brush for two minutes then turn it on to rinse. Do the same when shaving. Fill a cup with water to rinse the razor while running the tap. When washing your face use a filled basin of flowing water. These small actions can make a difference. They are easy to do. Can save water. Try them today. Every small action counts. Water conservation is everyone's responsibility. Make it a habit.

This tip is free. Does not need any special tools. Water conservation is very important. You can start saving water away. This is also something that kids can learn. It is an idea to teach children about saving water when they are young. This way they will do it for the rest of their life. Water conservation is one of the habits to teach children. It helps our family and the earth. We can make a difference by saving water. Water conservation is easy to do at home.

3. Run washing machines only with full loads

Laundry uses a lot of water in India around 15-20% of the total water used at home. A front-loading washing machine uses 40-60 litres of water for each cycle. A top-loading machine uses around 100-150 litres. The thing is washing machines use the amount of water whether they are full or half full. So if you do a half-load cycle you waste the amount of water as a full cycle but you only get half the clothes clean. This is a waste of water especially for laundry, like washing clothes.

For an Indian family that does laundry four to five times per week, laundry is a big task. Waiting for loads before running a cycle is a good idea. It reduces the number of wash cycles by 30 to 40 percent. This saves a lot of water, around 6,000 to 12,000 litres, per year. Using water to wash clothes also helps reduce energy costs. It works as well as hot water for most clothes with the detergents we use today. This way laundry quality is not affected.

Practical tips: I do laundry on days. This way I do not wash loads every day. I use a basket that shows me when it is full. When I buy machines I look for ones that save water. I choose machines with BEE 3-star or 5-star ratings. For clothes that're not very dirty I use the quick-wash or eco cycle setting. Laundry machines, with BEE 3-star or 5-star ratings and the wash or eco cycle setting help me save water and electricity when I do laundry.

For people who live in apartments with laundry facilities it is a good idea to plan when you do your washing. This way you can make sure you are doing loads of washing. When you do loads of laundry it helps everyone who lives in the apartment building. It is a thing for all the residents to do this because it makes things easier for everyone. Doing loads of laundry is a simple way to make life better for people who live in apartments, with shared laundry facilities.

4. Reuse water from washing fruits, vegetables, and cooking

In an Indian kitchen a lot of water is used to wash vegetables, rinse lentils and rice and boil food. This water is usually thrown away without a thought. The thing is, a lot of this water is fine to use again for things that do not need clean drinking water. So collecting water from the kitchen for reuse is an easy way to save water. This is something anyone can do in their kitchen to conserve water, specifically kitchen water. Conserving kitchen water is a thing to do.

Water from rinsing vegetables and fruits is great for plants, outdoor gardens and balcony pots. It has little contamination. Water used to wash rice or dal is good for plants too. It has starch that acts like a fertilizer. You can also use cooled water from boiling vegetables or eggs to clean floors and outdoor areas. This water is very useful. Can be used in many ways. Water from these activities can be reused to water plants or clean surfaces which is really helpful.

The practical approach is simple. Keep a sized bucket near your kitchen sink. When preparing food, pour rinse water into the bucket of the drain. At the end of the day use the collected water for watering plants or cleaning. In an Indian kitchen you can easily collect 10-20 litres of water per day. This adds up to 3,500-7,000 litres per year from kitchen reuse. By reusing kitchen water you can save a significant amount. This small habit can make a difference in your water consumption. Start collecting water today.

5. Fix leaking faucets, pipes, and toilet cisterns immediately

Water leaks in homes are very common and often go unnoticed. They waste a lot of water. A single tap with one drop of water leaking per second can waste 12,000 litres of water in a year. A toilet with a part can leak 200 litres of water every day which is a lot of water. Water leaks are a problem in Indian homes and they waste a lot of water. Indian homes have a lot of water leaks.

In apartment buildings old plumbing systems and delayed maintenance cause many leaks. These leaks waste a lot of water. They account for 14-20% of water use. Residents pay for this wasted water through maintenance charges or metered billing. Leaks can come from washers or cracked pipe joints. This silent water loss flows into the drain. Many residents are unaware of these leaks. They continue to pay for the wasted water. The leaks are an issue in old buildings. Fixing them can save an amount of water. Regular maintenance can help prevent leaks.

Detection is the step. I did a plumbing check. I look at all joints, taps and pipe connections for drips or wet spots. For toilet tanks I add drops of food colouring to the water. If the colour shows up in the toilet bowl within 10 minutes without flushing the tank is leaking. I also check my water meter before and after not using water for 2 hours. If the reading changes it means there is a leak in the system. This helps me find and fix leaks quickly.

Fixing a leak is usually cheap. Most leaks in household taps are because of rubber washers that cost ₹5–₹20. We can replace them in 10 minutes. A toilet cistern flapper costs ₹50–₹200. Fixing a leaking toilet cistern is an idea. It costs ₹200 for parts. We can save ₹1,000–₹3,000, per year. Fixing a leaking toilet cistern is one of the ways to save money on water at home. We can save a lot of money by fixing a leaking toilet cistern.

6. Run dishwashers only when completely full

Dishwashers, though not as common in homes as in Western countries, are becoming popular in city apartments. As people earn more, dishwashers will become more common. A dishwasher uses a set amount of water per cycle 12-15 litres for a modern model. This amount of water is used no matter how many dishes are loaded. It's similar to how washing machines work. People in India are getting used to having dishwashers in their homes in cities. This trend will continue as incomes increase. More people will have dishwashers at home.

Running a dishwasher with few items wastes water. For example using it at capacity uses the same water as a full load but only cleans half the items. This doubles the water cost, per plate. Over a year a household using the dishwasher daily at capacity uses the same water as one using it every other day at full capacity. They wash the same number of items. Simply waiting for a load can make a big difference. It can cut dishwasher-related water use in half. This is a way to save water.

For loads use the eco or light wash cycle. This uses more water and electricity than the standard cycle and is fine for normally dirty dishes. Scrape food into the bin or rinse it under the tap. Modern dishwasher detergent works well on dishes. When buying a dishwasher check the BEE star rating and how much water it uses per cycle. Some models use as little as 9-10 litres per full cycle. The eco cycle is a choice for normally soiled dishes and it helps to save water and electricity.

7. Use a washing bowl for handwashing dishes

In Indian homes dishes are washed by hand under a running tap. This is a habit that people are used to. It uses a lot of water. A kitchen tap uses 6 to 10 litres of water per minute. Indian families wash dishes for 8 to 12 minutes every day which's dishes from many meals, including pots and pans and glasses. This uses 50 to 80 litres of water per day which's a lot of water and dishes use this much water every day.

Using a two bowl method for washing dishes is an idea. You fill one bowl with hot soapy water for washing and the other with water for rinsing. This method helps a lot. Daily dish washing water use goes down to 15-20 litres. The two-bowl method for washing dishes reduces water use by a lot. A household can save a lot of water around 12,000-18,000 litres in a year by using the two-bowl method for washing dishes. The two-bowl method for washing dishes is a way to save water.

The method is easy. Fill the bowl with hot water and dish soap. This is enough to wash a sink load. Wash each thing in soapy water. Then put it in the rinse bowl. Rinse it under the tap, for a few seconds. For dirty pots let them soak in the soapy water for a bit. This helps get rid of the stuff without having to scrub them a lot under running water. The method works well for washing dishes.

In Indian kitchens people already use a small tub to wash things. The thing to do is to remember not to use the running tap all the time. This is what people usually do in cities without realizing it. They just turn on the tap. Let the water run. Indian kitchens use a tub or vessel to wash things. This way they do not waste water by using the running tap all the time. Indian kitchens are very good at using a tub to wash things and save water.

8. Boil only the amount of water you need

In households people often boil more water than they need. They fill the kettle, pressure cooker or saucepan with water. The extra water is boiled then it cools down. Is thrown away or used for something else that does not need hot water. This is a thing but it is a common way that water is wasted every day in Indian households. Indian households waste water like this all the time.

We waste water every time we cook or make tea, about 200 to 500 ml. This does not seem like a lot. When we do this three or four times a day for a family of four it adds up. The family of four can waste around 1,000 to 2,000 litres of water, per year. This water is not just wasted it also costs electricity to heat the water. The water and electricity that is wasted is a deal. We waste water and electricity every day with water that's unnecessarily boiled and discarded.

To get it right, measure before boiling. For tea and coffee use a marked cup to measure the water. Pour that amount into the kettle. When cooking rice, pasta or dal follow the recipe for water. Do not guess. For pressure cooking use the water the recipe says. Do not fill the cooker much. Measuring water is the key. Tea and coffee need a lot of water. So does rice, pasta and dal. Pressure cooking also needs the amount of water. Measure the water for the results.

This tip may not save a lot of water on its own. It is a good habit to get into. The idea is to use what you need. If you do this every time you use water it will make a difference. Water savings from this tip may be small. Water savings from this tip add up over time. So it is an idea to make water savings from this tip a part of your daily routine and remember water savings from this tip every day.

9. Reuse RO wastewater for cleaning, gardening, and flushing

Reverse Osmosis water purifiers are in Indian urban homes. They make drinking water but they also waste a lot of water. For every litre of water Reverse Osmosis water purifiers throw away 2-3 litres of water. This water is not bad, it just has many minerals so it is not good for drinking. Reverse Osmosis water purifiers make this water go down the drain. This is a problem because we waste a lot of water with Reverse Osmosis water purifiers.

In a home the water purifier uses a lot of water. It makes 10 to 15 litres of drinking water every day. It also wastes 20 to 45 litres of water every day. This is a lot of water. Around 7,000 to 16,000 litres per year. Most people do not even notice this. The wasted water goes down the drain. Is gone. The water purifier makes drinking water for the home. It also makes a lot of water. Reject water is a problem for the Indian home.

The fix is simple. Redirect the RO reject water pipe to a storage container, not the drain. Use a 10-20 litre bucket under the outlet. It fills once or twice a day. This water can be used for:

• Mopping floors it cleans well

• Flushing toilets it's

• Watering plants they tolerate minerals

• Washing vehicles, balconies, furniture

• Pre-soaking dirty clothes

This tip requires no investment to move a plastic pipe. It's a high-return water reuse action, for households. RO reject water reuse is easy and practical. Try it. Save water.

10. Harvest rainwater for daily non-potable use

Rainwater harvesting means collecting and storing rainwater that falls on rooftops. This water would otherwise go down storm drains. In our country most rain falls between June and September. We also have a problem with groundwater levels dropping. So harvesting rainwater is not about saving water. It helps fill up the groundwater, which's good for everyone in the community. This practice is especially important here. It makes sense to make use of the rain that we get. We should all try to collect and use rainwater in our lives to help conserve water.

For a house with a 100 square metre rooftop in a city that gets 700 mm of rain each year you can collect around 70,000 litres of rainwater. This is enough for a family of four to use for -drinking water needs like gardening, cleaning and washing their car. They can use it for the year. The rainwater can help them save on their water bills. They can use it to water their plants, clean their house and wash their car. This can make a difference, for a family.

For a home or apartment you need some things for rainwater harvesting. You need a clean rooftop catchment area gutters to collect rainwater, a flush diverter to get rid of the dirty water, a storage tank and a simple way to use the water again. In Indian cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi and Maharashtra rainwater harvesting is now required for all new buildings that are big enough. Rainwater harvesting is very important in these cities. It helps to collect and use rainwater.

For apartments the main thing to do is talk to the Residents Welfare Association about collecting rainwater in the building. Many of these associations can get help from the city water department. A system on the roof can collect a lot of water during the monsoon season. This helps the apartment building use water from tankers and the city supply for common areas. The Residents Welfare Association can make a difference by doing this. Collecting rainwater is an idea for apartment buildings.

Water Saving Tips for Offices and Commercial Buildings in India

Commercial buildings like offices, malls and hotels use a lot of water. A sized office with 500 employees uses 50,000 to 1,00,000 litres of water every day just in the washrooms. Commercial buildings like these use a lot of water for things too like food areas, air conditioning systems and plants outside. There are commercial buildings in India so they use a huge amount of water. Commercial buildings are one of the sources of wasted water in the country. Commercial buildings waste a lot of water.

Water conservation in buildings is important for facility managers and property developers in India. It affects operating costs as water tariffs rise in cities. It also affects ESG and BRSR reporting for companies and green building certification like LEED and GRIHA. Buildings that save water are valued more in the market. Attract good tenants. Water conservation is no longer about the environment. It is about saving money and getting tenants for commercial buildings in India. This is why water conservation is important for buildings.

11. Install waterless urinals — the highest-impact single action for waterless commercial restrooms

Restrooms are the water wasters in most commercial buildings. In restrooms urinals waste the most water. A regular urinal uses 1 to 4 litres of water each time it's flushed. In a building with a lot of men a urinal is flushed 25 to 50 times a day. This means it uses 25,000 to 70,000 litres of water, per year to get rid of urine that is mostly water anyway. Restrooms and urinals are a problem when it comes to saving water. Restrooms and urinals need to be more water efficient.

In an office or mall with 20 urinals, a lot of water is used just for flushing urinals. It is around 5 to 14 lakh litres in a year. Now imagine an airport or hospital with more than 100 urinals. The water used is much more. It is in crores of litres per year. This water is bought from the city, pumped and cleaned. Then it is flushed away in just a few seconds. The water consumption from urinals is really high in these places. Urinals use a lot of water.

Zerodor by Ekam Eco Solutions eliminates this waste entirely.

Zerodor is a waterless technology from IIT Delhi. Zerodor uses a mechanical ball valve assembly. When urine enters Zerodor, a ball floats up to open the drain passage. Clean drainage happens by gravity. When flow stops the ball settles back. Closes the drain. Zerodor blocks sewer gases without water or chemicals. Zerodor is mechanical, needs no electricity and has no costs, for Zerodor. Zerodor is India's patented waterless urinal technology.

What makes Zerodor uniquely suited to Indian conditions:

Zerodor is different from waterless urinals like Sloan or Falcon. They do not use a liquid to seal the urinal. This liquid can be damaged if water is poured into the bowl, which's a common practice in Indian buildings. Zerodors design is better. If water gets into the bowl it just floats a ball. Then re-seals when the water goes away. This makes Zerodor work well with the way Indian buildings are usually cleaned. Zerodor is more reliable than systems like Sloan or Falcon. Zerodor is a choice for Indian buildings.

Zerodor is really easy to install. It can be put onto any urinal in under 15 minutes. You do not have to replace the thing or do any big construction work. You also do not need to call a plumber. This makes a difference for places that have a lot of urinals, like 20 or 50 or even 100. Zerodor is an option because it is so simple to put in and does not cost a lot of money upfront. Zerodor saves time and money when it is installed.

Documented impact:

• Water saved per urinal: up to 150,000 litres per year.

• We have installed our solution in over 700 organisations across India including names like Indian Railways and Tata.

• We have deployed over 30,000 urinals nationwide.

• Our installations have saved more than 2 billion litres of water.

• Our waterless urinal is certified by GreenPro. Helps organisations get water efficiency credits for green building certifications like LEED and IGBC.

• Organisations, like DCB Bank and the Indian Army have already benefited from our solution.

• It's a way to save water.

  
  

Return on investment:

For an office with 20 urinals that get a lot of visitors Zerodor pays for itself in 1-2 years just by saving on water bills. This is before considering the benefits of less plumbing work, lower sewage costs and less work for sewage treatment plants. At DCB Bank Zerodor saves over 6.8 million litres of water every year. 

For businesses in India that want to save water, waterless urinals like Zerodor give the savings for the money spent. They are an upgrade, for any commercial building looking to reduce its water usage.

👉 Learn more: www.zerodor.in

12. Install low-flow and sensor-operated plumbing fixtures

Water waste in buildings is a big problem. It happens when tap water keeps flowing from taps that users do not turn off. This is the case when people wash their hands or when they are soaping up or when they just do not close the tap properly. A commercial washroom tap uses a lot of water around 8 to 12 litres, per minute. If taps run for 30 seconds longer than needed it adds up to a lot of wasted water tens of thousands of litres every year. Water waste is an issue.

Sensor-operated taps use infrared to detect hands and turn on. They shut off when hands are removed. This helps save water. In buildings these taps have been shown to reduce water usage by 30-50% compared to regular taps. No changes are needed from users. The sensor taps just work automatically. They are easy to use and help conserve water. This makes them a great option for places, like offices and public restrooms. People do not have to do anything; the taps just work when they are needed. This helps water bills.

You can get low-flow aerator attachments for ₹100 to ₹300 per tap. These low-flow aerator attachments are easy to install. Can be done in minutes. The low-flow aerator attachments add air to the water stream. This means you still get the feeling of water flow. The low-flow aerator attachments actually reduce the water flow rate by 40 to 60 percent. If you cannot change all the taps, in your building now you can still save water by using low-flow aerator attachments on all the washroom taps. This will not cost you a lot.

Toilet cubicles can have flush cisterns. Flush cisterns for toilet cubicles use less water. They use 3-4 litres for waste and 6 litres for solid waste. This is better than toilets that use 10-12 litres. Flush cisterns for toilet cubicles save 25-40% of water. Some toilets in places have special valves. These valves give the right amount of water. Flush cisterns for toilet cubicles are a good idea. They help save water. Toilet cubicles, with flush cisterns are a good choice.

Using waterless urinals with these upgrades can really cut down the water used in a building's restroom. This can save around 60 to 70 percent of water. The money saved on water bills will cover the cost of these upgrades in 2 to 4 years in Indian cities. Waterless urinals and fixture upgrades are a combination. They help reduce the restroom water footprint. This is a thing for commercial buildings, in Indian cities. Waterless urinals and these upgrades are a choice.

13. Train employees and building occupants on water conservation behaviour

Infrastructure upgrades help with the part of water waste. Behaviour change helps with the part. In Indian commercial buildings these two parts are not managed equally. Buildings that get sensor taps and waterless urinals but do not teach users about them often have problems. People do not use them correctly and maintenance teams do not know how to clean them. This causes adoption and higher misuse rates. Water waste is an issue and Infrastructure upgrades and behaviour change are both important to solve it, especially water waste.

A water awareness programme for buildings should have signs near taps and washrooms that say why the water fixtures are good for saving water. The building should also tell employees how much water is being used each month and how much is being saved. Employees should report water leaks away. Each floor should have a person who helps their team save water. This person is like a helper for saving water. The commercial building water awareness programme is important for saving water. The water awareness programme for buildings helps to save water.

Companies that use technology and also teach people to change their ways use less water. They save 10 to 20 percent more water than companies that only use new technology. This extra saving does not cost much once the first programme to make people aware is started. Organisations that do this save water and money. Water consumption is reduced when organisations combine technology upgrades with behaviour change programmes. These organisations save water than those that only use technology upgrades.

The timing is very important. We have World Water Day on 22 March and World Population Day on 11 July. These are days to start or keep going with water awareness campaigns at work. We can connect what we are doing at our organisation to what's happening in our country and around the world. This way we can talk about water. Make people more aware of it, on these special days. World Water Day and World Population Day are reminders to think about water.

14. Collect and reuse air conditioner condensate water

Air conditioners take out moisture from the air when they cool it. This makes water that drips from the unit. The water usually goes to a drain. Falls outside. In buildings especially, in India when it is very humid before and during the monsoon air conditioners make a lot of this water.

A single air conditioner unit in a humid place can make a lot of water around 8 to 15 litres per day. Imagine a building with 50 air conditioner units. It can make 400 to 750 litres of clean water every day. That is a lot of water around 60,000 to 1,00,000 litres, per year just going down the drain and not being used. This is the water that air conditioner units are producing. Air conditioner units are making this water every day.

Condensate water is really clean and soft which makes it perfect for watering plants and cleaning floors. It is also great for cooling towers because it reduces the need for city water. We can use it for toilets in nearby restrooms too. To collect condensate water we just need to change the pipes a bit which a plumber can do in one day. This is a way to reuse condensate water and save city water. Condensate water is very useful for things.

Big commercial campuses have air systems. These systems make a lot of water thousand litres per day during summer. This water can be used for things that do not need drinking water. It is a way to get water for the building. The water is collected at the air handling unit level. This helps the building have water for things like flushing toilets. The water from the air systems is very useful for the building, during summer months.

15. Use microfiber laundry bags to reduce water pollution from synthetic textiles

Hotels and hospitals with operations have a big problem. When they wash textiles like polyester uniforms and towels they release a lot of tiny plastic fibers. These microfibers are really small. Cannot be caught by regular water treatment systems. So they go into rivers, lakes and groundwater. Synthetic textiles like polyester and nylon are the cause of this problem. Hotels and hospitals need to do something about the textiles they use. Synthetic textiles are a part of the problem.

A single wash cycle of synthetic fabric releases a lot of microfibres around 700,000. Hotels do loads of laundry every day. This means a lot of microfibres are going into the water. Microfibre pollution is a problem for India's water. It makes the surface and groundwater more contaminated. Synthetic fabric is a part of the problem. Microfibres from fabric are a major contributor to the pollution in India's water. Synthetic fabric and microfibres are causing a lot of harm to India's water.

Microfibre laundry bags help stop microfibres from getting into wastewater. They are like mesh bags that you put your clothes in before washing. These bags catch the microfibres during the wash cycle. Studies found that they catch 54 to 78 percent of microfibres. The bags are cheap and easy to use. They do not need any changes to your plumbing. Using these bags can help reduce water pollution. They also help facilities with sustainability goals by providing benefits for ESG reporting. Microfibre laundry bags are a way to make a positive impact on the environment.

Hospitals and healthcare facilities can make a difference by reducing fibre pollution from washing linens. This helps keep the water sources clean for the communities they serve. It is a connection. The way hospitals manage water affects the health of people living nearby. By taking care of water hospitals take care of health. Hospitals and healthcare facilities can reduce fibre pollution and help keep water sources clean, for the people who need them. This is important for hospitals and healthcare facilities to do.

16. Build a water conservation culture through structured internal programmes

Water conservation in a building is done by people, not just equipment. Things like faucets and waterless urinals can. Be used wrong by the staff. Leaks can go unfixed for a time in big buildings. This happens when people do not feel responsible for water conservation. Companies that only buy equipment but do not teach their staff about water conservation do not do as well as they want to with saving water. Water conservation needs people to care about it, not new equipment. This is how commercial buildings save water.

A water conservation program for a building includes a few important things. First we need to track how water each floor or area uses every month. We should share this information with everyone in the building. This will help people feel responsible for using water. It will also make different teams want to beat each other at saving water. This is a way to make a commercial building or corporate campus use water in a better way. The water conservation program is about saving water at the building or corporate campus.

Second, to fix leaks we need a way for people to report them. We should have an email address, WhatsApp number or digital channel, for reporting leaks. This way people can tell us about a tap, running cistern or pipe leak and we will confirm that we got the message within 24 hours. When we have this system leaks get fixed 4 to 6 days faster. Leak reporting is very important. Leak reporting helps us fix leaks quickly.

Third,we should recognize the people who help reduce water usage. This means saying thank you to departments, floors or individuals who come up with ideas to save water, report leaks or do things to conserve water. We do not have to give them money, just a mention in our communications is enough. This will encourage water conservation behaviour. We should recognize water conservation efforts to keep people doing things to save water.

Fourth, integrating water conservation into our company's sustainability report: when staff see how their daily actions at the tap affect our water usage it matters to them. They understand this is part of what we report to regulators and investors under BRSR or GRI standards. Saving water becomes important, to each employee, not the company. We should make sure employees know how their actions contribute to our water conservation goals. This way they can see the impact of their choices. Water conservation is a team effort and every action counts.

17. Implement greywater recycling and wastewater reuse systems

Wastewater from buildings like that from washroom taps and cafeteria operations is usually seen as a problem. Modern water management sees wastewater as a resource. It can be. Reused on-site. This helps reduce the need for water and lowers the amount of sewage that goes into the municipal system. Wastewater is a resource that can be used again reducing the demand for fresh water and the load on municipal infrastructure and wastewater can be reused on-site which is a good thing for wastewater management and for wastewater treatment. Wastewater is useful.

Greywater is the water that comes from sinks and floors. We can make it clean again with steps. First we filter it then we use bacteria to clean it and finally we disinfect it. After that the greywater is good, for watering plants, flushing toilets and washing floors. In an office building this recycled water can be used for many things and it can provide a lot of the water that is needed. Greywater can supply around 20 to 40 percent of the water that is used in the building for these things.

Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in buildings treat all wastewater so it can be reused safely. In India some states make STPs mandatory for commercial buildings. For example Maharashtra requires STPs for buildings that produce over 10 kilolitres of sewage per day. Karnataka also has rules for large developments. Even if not required, having an STP on site has benefits. It reduces reliance on water supply, lowers sewage disposal costs and helps achieve better water efficiency scores under IGBC and GRIHA. This makes STPs a smart choice for commercial buildings to save water and money.

Ekam Eco Solutions helps organisations with wastewater treatment. They make a plan that's just right for each place considering the number of people who use it, the layout and the amount of water available. This way Ekam Eco Solutions supports facilities with wastewater treatment and reuse solutions that work well for them. Ekam Eco Solutions does this to help these places be more sustainable and reuse water when they can. Ekam Eco Solutions is about helping with wastewater treatment and reuse.

18. Use water-efficient appliances in cafeterias and office breakrooms

The cafeteria and breakroom operations in buildings use a lot of water. A big cafeteria that serves 300 to 500 employees three meals a day can use 2,000 to 5,000 litres of water daily. Cafeteria operations, like food preparation and cleaning, use a lot of water. The cafeteria operations use water all day. The kitchen staff usually do not know how much water they are using. The cafeteria operations need to be managed to save water. Cafeteria operations are a source of water consumption.

Commercial cafeterias can benefit from some upgrades. For example commercial cafeterias can use sensor-operated taps at food preparation and washing stations. This stops people from leaving the taps running. Commercial cafeterias can also use grade water-efficient dishwashers that use less water. Commercial cafeterias can install shut-off valves on ice machines and beverage dispensers. Additionally commercial cafeterias can use microfibre mops with a spray-and-wipe method, for cleaning the floor. These upgrades can help cafeterias.

Beverage stations use a lot of water in offices. Putting water meters on each outlet helps people see how water they are using. This makes staff think more about using water. When you show how much water is being used every day near the station it helps reduce waste by 10 to 15 percent. Beverage stations with water meters can really make a difference. Beverage stations are important to watch when it comes to water use.

19. Implement smart irrigation systems for commercial landscapes

Big companies and hotels use a lot of water to keep their lawns and gardens looking nice. This uses up to 30% of the water in the building. The problem is that they water the plants at the same time every day no matter if it is raining or if the soil is already wet. This means they are using a lot of water. Watering should be based on the weather. How wet the soil is, not just on a schedule. This can help save water. Companies like these need to use water.

Overwatering is bad for plants. It wastes water. Hurts plants by taking away oxygen from the roots. This also makes fungal diseases grow and causes soil to wash away. When plants get too much water they don't look healthy. They actually look unhealthy. Much water is not good for plants. It makes them weak. Plants need the amount of water to grow strong. Giving them much water does not make them look better. It does the opposite. Plants need oxygen and proper care to stay healthy. Watering them much is not the answer.

Smart irrigation systems help with this problem in three ways. They have soil moisture sensors that check the water in the soil and only turn on the water when it gets too low. They also have weather-linked controllers that stop the water schedule when it rains or is going to rain. They use drip irrigation that puts water right on the roots of each plant instead of using sprinklers that waste a lot of water especially in warm places, like India. This helps reduce water loss. Smart irrigation systems use these methods to save water.

These technologies reduce water consumption by 30-50% compared to sprinkler systems. They do this without hurting plant health or how the plants look. Smart irrigation systems can pay for themselves in 2-3 years on commercial campuses. If you are building something it is a good idea to include smart irrigation in your plans from the start. This way it will not cost a lot to add it later. Smart irrigation is a choice for people who want to save water and money. It is also good for the plants and the environment.

These technologies reduce water consumption by 30-50% compared to sprinkler systems. They do this without hurting plant health or how the plants look. Smart irrigation systems can pay for themselves in 2-3 years on commercial campuses. If you are building something it is a good idea to include smart irrigation in your plans from the start. This way it will not cost a lot to add it later. Smart irrigation is a choice for people who want to save water and money. It is also good for the plants and the environment.

20. Conduct a water audit before investing in conservation upgrades

A water audit is the thing to do for any commercial building that wants to save water. A lot of buildings skip this step and buy water-saving things instead. This does not work well because water audits help find where water is being wasted the most. Without a water audit buildings might put water-saving fixtures in the places and the places that waste the most water will still be wasting water. This is why a water audit is so important for water conservation in buildings, like these commercial buildings.

A water audit for a building is really important. It involves checking the water bills to see how much water is used each month. Then you install meters to check the water flow, in restrooms, cafeteria and other areas. You also look for leaks. Check if the plumbing is working well. The goal is to find ways to save water and make a plan to do it. This plan shows what to do based on how much it costs and how much water it can save. It helps the commercial building use water wisely.

Many commercial buildings do a water audit. Find that 40 to 60 percent of the water they use comes from just a few places, like restrooms, air conditioning and watering the lawn. If they just fix these areas with technology they can save 35 to 55 percent of the water they use. This is a lot better than trying to fix everything. Commercial buildings can save a lot of water by fixing these three things: restrooms and air conditioning and lawn watering. This is where commercial buildings use the water.

Water audits give us information about how much water we use. This helps with reporting on social and governance (ESG) and business responsibility and sustainability reporting (BRSR). It also helps buildings get LEED and IGBC certifications. We can see how well our water-saving efforts work. In India big commercial buildings must report their water use every year. A water audit helps them do this correctly. It provides a system to measure and report water use accurately. This way building owners can make decisions about water conservation. Water audits are a tool.

When organisations install Zerodor waterless urinals they do a water audit before. This helps them see how water the urinals use. Then they can calculate the savings. The organisations get data to use in their sustainability reports. This is good for the ESG teams. They can show that they are really saving water with Zerodor waterless urinals. The organisations can use this data to report on their progress. Zerodor waterless urinals help organisations save water and be more sustainable.

How Ekam Eco Solutions and Zerodor Support Water Conservation in India

Water conservation is very important. It needs people to change their habits and have smart systems. Ekam Eco Solutions is a company that helps with water conservation. They started in 2013. They use research from IIT Delhi. Ekam Eco Solutions. Uses new technologies to help buildings in India use water in a better way. Water conservation is necessary. Ekam Eco Solutions is working on it. They want to help people and buildings use water wisely. Water conservation is the goal of Ekam Eco Solutions.

Zerodor is Ekams innovation. It is India's patented waterless urinal technology. Zerodor has a GreenPro Certification from CII-IGBC. Zerodor is used by organisations. These include Indian Railways and the Indian Army. Zerodor is also used by DCB Bank, Tata and big corporate campuses. Zerodor has saved a lot of water. Zerodor has saved more than 2 billion litres of water since it was introduced. Zerodor is used in places across the country. Zerodor is a useful technology. Zerodor is helping to save water in India.

Ekam provides cleaning solutions that keep drains safe. These solutions are good for the environment because they do not have chemicals. Ekam helps organisations plan. Manage their water usage. They do this by designing systems to reuse water and checking how organisations use water to find ways to conserve it. Ekam supports organisations with sewage treatment and water conservation. Ekam cleaning solutions are safe for waterless urinals and the environment. Ekam helps keep drains, with CARE bio-enzymatic solutions.

Summary: Water Savings at a Glance

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the most effective water saving tips for homes in India? 

Indian homes can save a lot of water by doing simple things. Fixing leaks is one. A dripping tap wastes 12,000 litres of water every year. Reusing water from the RO filter and collecting rainwater during the monsoon season also helps. Taking showers and running full loads in the washing machine makes a difference too. Indian homes can save 30-50% of water by following these habits. This is a deal and it does not cost anything to make these changes to Indian homes and their water usage.

2. How much water do waterless urinals save in commercial buildings? 

A Zerodor waterless urinal saves a lot of water. It saves up to 1,50,000 litres of water per year. This is a difference from a conventional flush urinal. For a building, with 20 Zerodor waterless urinals it saves 30 lakh litres of water every year. Zerodor waterless urinals are a choice because they save water and the installation cost is recovered through water bill savings in 12 to 24 months. Zerodor waterless urinals have saved a total of 2 billion litres of water across India. Zerodor waterless urinals are very useful.

3. Does rainwater harvesting reduce water bills meaningfully?

A rooftop of 100 metres in a city that gets 700 mm of rain each year can collect about 70,000 litres of water during the monsoon season. This is water for a household to use for gardening and cleaning for most of the year. For buildings a bigger rooftop can collect a lot of water, which reduces the need for expensive city water and helps put water back into the ground. This is really helpful because it saves money and helps the environment. The rooftop water is very useful for things.

4. What wastes more water — a bath or a shower? 

A full bathtub uses a lot of water. Over 100 litres. A 5-minute shower uses less, around 40-60 litres with a normal showerhead. If you use a low-flow showerhead it uses less. 20-25 Litres. If a family of four takes a 5-minute shower or a bath every day they can save 1,20,000 to 3,00,000 litres of water a year. That's enough to fill a tank every day. In India switching from baths to showers can save a lot of water making it a great way to conserve water at home.

5. Why is fixing leaks so important for water conservation? 

A single dripping tap wasting one drop per second loses approximately 12,000 litres annually. A leaking toilet cistern can waste 200 litres per day — or 73,000 litres per year — without the occupant noticing any visible symptom. Household leaks account for 14–20% of total indoor water use in urban Indian apartments, much of it in common plumbing areas that go unmonitored for months. Fixing leaks is the lowest-cost, highest-return action available because the only investment required is a few hundred rupees in replacement washers or a cistern flapper — delivering water savings worth ₹1,000–₹5,000 annually depending on local tariffs.

6. How can businesses improve water efficiency comprehensively?

 A comprehensive commercial water conservation plan works in layers. Start with a water audit to identify where consumption is highest — most buildings find 40–60% of water waste in restrooms, HVAC, and landscaping. Then address these in order of ROI: install waterless urinals first (highest single-action saving); upgrade to sensor taps and low-flow fixtures; implement smart irrigation for landscapes; set up greywater recycling if scale justifies it; and run a building-wide awareness programme for all occupants. Organisations implementing this full approach consistently achieve 40–60% reductions in total water consumption — with direct savings on water bills, sewage charges, STP costs, and measurable progress on ESG and BRSR water reporting targets.