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Sustainable Dining Operation: Dishwashing and Water Use

Green Dining Best Practices

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Restaurants use large amounts of water – to prep, cook, clean, and hydrate guests. Dining managers can conserve water while saving money on their utility bills by updating inefficient appliances and being smart about water use.

Here’s how you can improve your environmental performance:

Rinse smarter. Two-thirds of water goes to dishwashing, with pre-rinsing consuming nearly half of that amount. Switch to low-flow spray valves (1.6 gallons per minute) to maintain performance while saving water and energy. Install regulation devices to guarantee proper water pressure (60 psi) and optimal temperature (120 degrees Fahrenheit).
Buy water and energy-efficient equipment. Replace older dishwashers with Energy Star-sanctioned models or those on the Consortium for Energy Efficiency’s product list. Look for systems that use one gallon of water or less to clean a full rack. Run equipment to capacity and check for optimal rinse pressure (20 psi) and water temperature (140 degrees Fahrenheit).
Don’t overheat. Warming up water is energy intensive. Restaurants use 1 to 2 kWh of electricity or 5 cubic feet of natural gas to heat 10 gallons of water. Install a tankless water heater, or put insulation around the hot water storage tank and piping. Add a programmable thermostat and recirculation-pump timer to shut down systems during off-hours. Perform regular preventative maintenance on all heating elements.
Serve water upon request. Bottleless water service is generally the best eco-option, but you can further reduce your impact by serving customers water only upon request.
Spot and fix leaks. A drip here and there really adds up. Perform regular maintenance checks on drippy faucets and toilets. Your water bill will thank you.