Media Release

28 Feb 2007

Linen Service Saves Loads of Water

Parramatta Linen Service is one of 350 Sydney businesses contributing to a massive water saving effort through the Every Drop Counts Business Program.

Parramatta Linen Service cleans about 250 tonnes of hospital linen each week for Sydney West Area Health Service.

Since joining the program, the service has cut its water use by more than a third, saving 73 million litres of water each year, reducing its annual energy and chemical costs by $78,000.

This has been achieved through the purchase of three technically advanced Continuous Batch Washers, worth $1.6 million.

The new water efficient washers use just 6.4 litres of water for every kilogram of linen processed, compared to 9.7 litres used by the previous models.

The washers work by forcing the linen through a tunnel, which enables the machine to handle continual loads of heavy washing.

The machines reuse water from different washing chambers, which cuts down on water use.

Parramatta Linen Service received $152,640 towards the cost of the washers from Sydney Water’s Water Conservation Pilot Subsidy Fund.

The Every Drop Counts Business Program’s 350 members have generated savings of about 26.5 million litres of water a day – equivalent to around 26,500 Olympic swimming pools.

The program was launched by Sydney Water in 2001 to help high water using businesses identify and implement water saving opportunities.

On joining the program a water audit is undertaken, which examines where and how much water the business is using.

A customised water saving plan is developed and ongoing progress reviews are undertaken to ensure optimum results are achieved.

As well as a reduction in their water bill, participants often save on other running costs, such as energy, chemicals, trade waste, labour and wastewater.

While businesses, industry and government account for about 30 per cent of Sydney’s water consumption, it is important that it is used in an efficient and sustainable manner.

The Every Drop Counts Business Program is one initiative of a multi-pronged approach in the NSW Government’s Metropolitan Water Plan, which will ensure Sydney’s water supply.

 

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