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Abu Dhabi consumes 550 litres of water per capita.

Abu Dhabi has the highest consumption of water in the world at 550 litres per capita, compared with 85 litres in Jordan, and is facing a water crisis of such magnitude that it will not be able to sustain current levels of use for more than 50 years.

That 70 percent of all water consumed worldwide is used to irrigate landscapes and crops, the savings potential of installing, managing and maintaining efficient systems means water conservation is a burning FM issue. fmME brings you 24 ways to stem the flow and sustain the planet for future generations.

That water is viewed by many in the UAE as a replenishable commodity, rather than a finite resource underscores the need for a change in habits and attitude.

Facilities managers are at the sharp end and in a great position to lead from the front when procuring, installing, managing, mantaing and measuring eco-friendly irrigation systems. The following steps to conservation; communication, education and looking to the future are the blue-print to eco-irrigation systems for facilities managers.

Conserve Water

1. Install low-flow aerators, which simply screw onto bathroom faucets for ease of installation

2. Insert water displacement devices to limit the amount of water used in the toilet tank

3. Monitor activities with sensors, such as motion-sensor faucets and cooling tower sensors

4. Implement ‘dry' cleaning methods. Using a broom, squeegee or dry vacuum cleaner as dry instead of wet cleaning can save gallons of water a day

5. Reduce water pressure

6. Reset hot water thermostats to the lowest setting possible

7. Turn off hot water heaters while the building is unoccupied

Landscape Sustainability

8. Create a landscaping programme that makes use of indigenous plants and conserves water

9. Add composting to your landscape maintenance plan

10. Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses, which use less water than sprinklers do

11. Schedule an annual review of your property's irrigation system

12. Harvest rainwater to water your building's grounds

Reduce, Re-use and Recycle

13. Work with vendors who have recycling programs in place

14. Establish disposal methods to discard electronics and hazardous waste safely

15. Use coreless paper products

16. Ensure that your janitorial service uses green cleaning products

17. Ensure windows and skylights are clean to allow an optimal amount of natural daylight

18. Encourage tenants to turn off equipment after hours

19. Develop a recycling programme for everything (not just paper) - lighting, plastics, metal, glass and cardboard

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