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Introduction Many believe water is the biggest environmental challenge faced by Floridians. It's a precious commodity and the tourism industry depends on a clean, ample supply of water. In Florida, the majority of the drinking water comes from groundwater that is replenished by rainfall. Florida must average at least 53 inches of water per year to avoid drought conditions. During drought conditions, individuals as well as businesses are asked to conserve water. Hotels are extremely large-volume users of water, detergent, cleansers and other chemicals that can be detrimental to our environment. Hotels use an average of 209 gallons of water each day for each occupied room. Redlin, M. and J. DeRoos,. 1990 Water Consumption in the Lodging Industry. Protecting the environment by lessoning the impact the hotel has on the environment also protects the very reason its guests come to Florida; whether it's a beach, river or a historic district. Increasing water efficiency is one of the most significant opportunities for realizing cost savings. Many of the water-saving solutions detailed below are easy to implement and very affordable. Beside the obvious decrease in water bills, savings are also realized by decreases in electricity costs, sewage bills and decreased chemical costs. Water conservation can be achieved through behavioral, operational, or equipment changes. Some of these changes cost very little to implement and have big impacts on water usage. Resources WAVE 
The Water Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE) program is a valuable tool for hotels and motels. WAVE is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) long-term program which promotes water efficiencies leading to significant water and energy savings. (http://www.epa.gov/owm/water-efficiency/hotels.pdf). The program, launched in l992, initially focused on the lodging industry. The American Hotel and Motel Association has endorsed the program as both economically and environmentally beneficial to its members. WAVE encourages hotels and motels to reduce water consumption while increasing efficiency, profitability and competitiveness. WAVE has 40 hospitality partners, including large hotel chains Westin, Hyatt, Sheraton, Outrigger and LaQuinta. Potentially, the lodging industry could save 32 billion gallons of water per year and over one trillion BTUs per year of associated energy use. Many WAVE partners have reduced their water consumption by 30% annually. After becoming a WAVE partner and signing a letter of commitment agreeing to survey all facilities and install water-efficient equipment wherever possible, lodging facilities are able to tap into EPA's vast resources. WAVE partners receive WAVE Saver, a software package that enables the survey and tracking of water use with ease and accuracy. Developed in conjunction with leading water experts and agencies, the program allows hotel engineers and managers to identify specific water-saving opportunities. Partners create and enhance an image of environmental stewardship, which can lead to increased revenues and higher occupancy rates. WAVE will publicize and support partner hotels' water efficiency efforts through nationwide public-service advertising, in-room promotional materials, press releases and a nationwide help line. For a traveler interested in choosing responsible ecodestinations, tours and accommodations, the WAVE designation indicates that a hotel or motel:
Energy Star® 
Commit to replacing all old appliances with Energy Star® appliances. Energy Star® appliances save water as well as energy. The initial cost may be slightly more, but the life usage costs are substantially lower. Full-sized Energy Star® qualified washers use 18-25 gallons of water per load, compared to the 40 gallons used by a standard machine. They do this by extracting more water from clothes during the spin cycle. This reduces the drying time and saves energy and wear and tear on linens. Top-loading models look like conventional machines from the outside, but these Energy Star® qualified washers use different types of washing action to get clothes clean with less water and energy. Many have sensors to monitor incoming water temperature closely. They also rinse clothes with repeated high-pressure spraying instead of soaking them in a full tub of water. Front-loading models are similar to machines used in laundromats. They use a horizontal or tumble-axis basket to lift and drop clothing into the water instead of rubbing clothes around a central agitator. Both top-loading and front-loading Energy Star® qualified clothes washers save water and energy. They also use faster spin speeds to extract more water from clothes, reducing drying time and energy use. An Energy Star® qualified dishwasher saves about $100 over its lifetime. The savings comes from using less hot water than conventional models. Water C.H.A.M.P.
Water C.H.A.M.P. is the Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program conducted by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The goal of this free program is to help hotels and motels save water for Florida's future in ways that save money. Hotels or motels in Pinellas County, southern Pasco County or Hillsborough County, are eligible to participate! Program components include:
A linens and towels reuse program that launders bed linens and towels every third day of a guest's stay, unless requested otherwise by the guest. This program can save properties up to 30 percent on water usage and up to $1 per night, per occupied room, on laundry expenses.
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