Water

Water Conservation

1. Conduct a water use audit to identify conservation opportunities.

2. Install water efficient equipment, appliances, and plumbing fixtures.

Visit WaterSense for information on low-flow plumbing fixtures, aerators, on-demand faucets, dual flush toilets, waterless urinals and other water efficient plumbing fixtures.

3. Optimize water use for heating and cooling systems.

Eliminate single pass or once-through cooling systems.
Minimize water loss from cooling towers.
Ensure that boilers and steam-generating systems operate efficiently.

4. Eliminate non-critical cleaning processes and maximize dry cleanup where feasible.

Optimize production sequencing and scheduling to reduce cleaning.
Where feasible, use dry cleanup processes (sweeping, squeegees, etc.) rather than hosing down floors and other surfaces. Use high-pressure, low-volume water nozzles when you do need to use water for cleanup.
Wash fleet vehicles only when necessary and use a car wash facility that recycles water.

5. Use harvested rain water for non-potable use (e.g. flushing toilets) or landscape irrigation.

Building a Rain Barrel

6. Landscape with native and drought-resistant plants and minimize turf.

Conservation Landscaping

7. Optimize irrigation systems.

Limit irrigation areas.
Identify and repair leaks.
Adjust irrigation schedules to account for seasonal rain variation.
Install a smart irrigation system that uses soil moisure and temperature sensors to automatically adjust the irrigation schedule and runtime.

For your member profile: Describe actions taken to reduce water use and include results (e.g. gallons of water conserved) and cost savings where available.

Stormwater Management

(Note that for some facilities, stormwater and spill prevention plans and measures are a regulatory requirement. The Maryland Green Registry member promotes voluntary measures that go beyond these requirements.)

1. Reduce stormwater runoff through landscape design, reduction of impervious surfaces, and green infrastructure.

Green infrastructure to manage stormwater (including rain gardens, rain barrels, green roofs, permeable pavement, and harvesting rainwater)
Maryland Stormwater Design Manual

2. Plant vegetative buffer strips along streams and other bodies of water.

3. Keep litter and pollutants out of storm drains and waterways.

Store equipment and materials indoors or undercover.
Routinely check paved surfaces for possible oil leaks from company vehicles.
Educate employees to ensure “Only rain down the drain!”
Plug floor drains in maintenance shops so that spills don’t discharge to stormwater drains or check with your local government about redirecting drains to the sanitary sewer system.
Keep spill containment kits on site and accessible. Include them in your fleet vehicles if appropriate.
Ensure dumpsters, trash and recycling containers have secure lids and are located away from storm drains.
Place an adequate number of trash containers in parking lots as well as outside of building entrances.
Conduct regular litter pickups on your property.
Place a cigarette butt receptacle outside near smoking areas.

4. Implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices.

Use preventive strategies and natural predators as an alternative to pesticides and herbicides
University of Maryland Extension

5. Apply fertilizer only when necessary and at minimum rates.

Use native plants.
Limit fertilization of grass to once a year (summer for Bermuda and zoysia grasses, fall for all other grass types.)
Keep fertilizer off of paved surfaces to prevent it from entering a storm drain.
Advice from the University of Maryland Extension
Maryland Master Gardeners
Bay-Wise Landscape Management

6. Use best management practices to control ice on paved surfaces.

Alternatives to Salt

For your member profile: Describe voluntary actions to reduce stormwater runoff through landscaping, reduction in paved surfaces and other site design measures and/or measures to keep litter and pollutants out of storm drains and bodies of water.