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Restaurants conserving more water

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By TED JACKOVICS

tjackovics@tampatrib.com

Published: May 26, 2009

TAMPA - Efforts to get restaurants to conserve water have paid off with 200 restaurants joining a Southwest Florida Water Management District program during the past 12 months.

"Our goal is to sign up an additional 150 restaurants by the two-year anniversary," Swiftmud media relations manager Robin Felix said.

The Lakeview Grill at Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club last week became the 200th restaurant to join the program led by Amy Harroun, coordinator for the Water Program for Restaurant Outreach, called Water PRO. The program was begun in May 2008.

On average, a restaurant uses 5,800 gallons of water a day, which equates to more than 2 million gallons of water a year, Swiftmud said.

A Swiftmud study of a Largo restaurant found that it could save more than 1.5 million gallons of water a year and nearly $8,000 by replacing spray nozzles with sink aerators, installing low-flow toilets and reducing the flow in dripper wells and continuous flow faucets next to ice cream and butter scoop troughs.

In addition to technical improvements, Water PRO requests that restaurants serve water upon request, display water conservation materials on tables, conduct self-audits and train staff in conservation efforts.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817.

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