How to Conserve Water and Make Money

Photo: Playerx

Since the newspapers tell us everyday that we should start saving water, OH MY BUSINESS! started thinking about the kinds of businesses we can start to support water conservation.

Ok so maybe Malaysians don't know how to save water (or petrol, or electricity, or..) but let's face facts, what if one day water becomes really scarce, or worse, the government starts controlling how we can use water.

This is a list of ideas of businesses that deal with water conservation that can be successful when conservation becomes a serious matter. Also it’s great suggestions for eco-entrepreneurs (or ecopreneurs!).

5 Ideas for water conservation businesses:

1. Water auditing

Did you know people will actually pay for someone to come and check whether their water use at their homes or office is optimal or not? That’s what a water auditor does.

A water auditor will come and look at how water is used in a household or office, and give an estimation of how optimized its use is. In some areas, local councils set a level of optimal water use, and if an auditor finds that it is less than optimal, then the household or office will have to make changes and adjustments in the problem areas that the water auditor had identified.

2. Sell Low-flow fixtures (shower heads/ taps/ toilets)

A cheap way to conserve water is by installing a low-flow tap or water fixture that reduces the amount of water that flows out of your tap. Besides reducing the amount of water used, low-flow fixtures saves money on the water bill as well.

Low-flow fixtures are cheap and accessible and in a country like Malaysia that’s only getting on the water conservation bandwagon, there is bound to be a huge demand.

3. Start a leak detecting business

In buildings and complexes, finding a leak isn’t as easy as finding where water is dripping from. That’s where leak detectors come in. With the aid of dyes, ultra sound and electronic technology, they can detect with great accuracy where the leaks are without having to hack through walls.

4. Sell Rainwater Kits

One great thing about KL is how much rain we get. All that rain usually just flows into the drains and sewers, which is a missed opportunity for water conservation.

Rainwater harvesting kits and technology collect rainwater in a convenient and hygienic way so that it can be used for non-potable purposes, like gardening and doing the laundry. For tropical climates like ours, these kits should be as common as water filters. Also it saves money off the water bill.

5. Introduce In-pipe Sensors

Another promising water conservation technology that could be marketed  is in-pipe sensors. While leak detectors and water audits tell you where there are problems after it happens. In-pipe sensors can tell you how your water is being used real-time and can give instant feedback about how water is used in your premises.

Since this is a relatively new technology, there is plenty of room to grow when it comes to in-pipe sensors. 

And ultimately the job opportunities that these ecopreneurs will create!