Benchmarking can help you compare your water use to similar businesses to identify potential savings, improve your water efficiency and establish realistic water use reduction targets.

Learn how to work out your business’s water use benchmark to compare how you’re tracking..

Let’s work out your water use benchmark

  • Calculate your last year’s total water use in kilolitres.
  • Refer to your bills or log in to your online account to view your water use history.
  • Remember 1000 litres = 1 kilolitre

Now confirm your business activity measure

Every business will use water differently depending on it’s activity. A business activity measure is used to establish your benchmark for water use.

Common business activity measures

Business/ Industry Type Business activity measure Water use Benchmark indicator
Aged Care Residents per day L/resident/day
Aquatic Centre Bather or patron numbers L/bather
L/patron
Caravan Park Occupancy L/occupant
Hospital Patient bed days L/patient bed day
Hotel / Motel Guest night
Occupancy
L/guest night
L/occupied room
Manufacturing Product produced or processed kL/product produced
kL/product processed
Mining Mining production figures kL/tonne product produced
Office Nett Lettable Area (m2NLA) kL/m2 NLA
Commercial Laundry Kilogram of linen kL/kg linen
Retail Centre Patrons
Gross Lettable Area (m2GLA)
kL/patron
kL/m2 GLA
TAFE/ University Full-time equivalent students and staff kL/student and staff
Commercial Kitchen Number of food covers L/food cover
Turf Irrigation Water use per year kL/hectare

Divide your water use by your business activity

For example, an Aquatic Centre has a yearly water use of 22,000kL with 780,991 patrons visiting the centre.

22,000 kL divided by 780,991 patrons = 0.03kL per patron per year or 30L per patron per year.

This figure is your benchmark and can be used to compare your water use to similar businesses.

Compare your water use

Once you’ve worked out your water use benchmark, you can use it to compare it to others in your industry.

Aquatic centre

The water use benchmark indicator for aquatic centres is litres per bather or litres per patron, depending on the type of centre. . Benchmarks below have been provided by an independent WA auditor :

Aquatic water efficiency benchmarks Benchmark litres per bather Benchmark litres per patron
Goldfields Agricultural 534 – 1,200 534 – 1,200
Great Southern 200 – 350 200 – 350
Mid-West 330 - 600 330 - 600
South West 120 - 300 120 - 300
Perth Peel & centres with activity level 100,000 PA 40 - 60 25 - 40

Aged care

The water efficiency performance indicator for residential aged care facilities is litres per resident per day. We developed the following benchmarks using data from local aged care facilities.

Aged care water efficiency benchmarks
Category Benchmark (litres/resident/day)
Best practice 130 or less
Typical 130 - 300
High Greater than 300

Hotels

The water efficiency performance indicator for hotels is litres per occupied room night (L/occupied room night) and litres per guest night (L/guest night). We developed the following benchmarks using data from local hotels.

Hotels water efficiency benchmarks
Category Benchmark
(L/guest night)
Average water use performance 281
Best practice water cooled hotel 159
Best practice air cooled hotel 173

Office buildings

The water efficiency performance indicator for commercial office buildings is kilolitres per nett lettable area per year (kL/m2NLA/annum). We developed the following benchmarks using data from office buildings in Perth.

Office buildings water efficiency benchmarks
Category Water cooled buildings Benchmark
(kL/m2NLA /year)
Air cooled buildings Benchmark
(kL/m2NLA/year)
Typical - building that hasn't implemented major water efficiency measures or doesn't have major leaks 0.75-0.86 0.61-0.75
Mid-range - building with a water management plan & proactive about water efficiency measures 0.61-0.75 0.48-0.61
Very well managed - building with proactive management & good design 0.48-0.61 0.35-0.48
Best practice -building with proactive water management & best practice design 0.35-0.48 <0.35

Retail centres

The water efficiency performance indicator for retail centres is kilolitres per gross lettable area per year (k/m2GLA/annum). We developed the following benchmarks using data from local retail centres.

Retail centres water efficiency benchmarks
Category Benchmark (kL/m2GLA / year)
Poor >1.56
Below average 1.16-1.56
Average 0.96-1.16
Above average 0.76-0.96
Best practice <0.56

Turf irrigation, including sports fields

The water efficiency performance indicator for turf irrigation is kilolitres per hectare. Sydney Water has developed the following benchmarks for turf irrigation.

Turf irrigation water efficiency benchmarks
Rating Best practice benchmark
Stadiums 4000 to 9000 kilolitres per hectare per year
Regional 2500 to 5000 kilolitres per hectare per year
Local sports fields 1500 to 3500 kilolitres per hectare per year
Neighbourhood parks,
reserves and lawn areas
0 to 2500 kilolitres per hectare per year