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New toolkit helps food manufacturers save water
A practical new toolkit developed by RMIT University researchers will help food
manufacturers cut their water use by identifying the processes that use the most
water and the changes they can make to reduce their consumption.
Supported by the Smart Water Fund, the Water Saver Toolkit was developed in
conjunction with the Plenty Food Group, the City of Whittlesea, the City of Hume,
Yarra Valley Water and several industrial food manufacturers.
Dr Nira Jayasuriya, from RMIT’s School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical
Engineering, said the online toolkit gave small to medium-sized food manufacturers
detailed information on their options for cutting water consumption and the
estimated return on investments related to particular water-saving measures.
“Food processing uses more water than any other industry around Australia,
consuming more than 241 billion litres of water each year,” Dr Jayasuriya said.
“In Victoria, any businesses that use more than 10 million litres a year must
prepare a water-saving plan but smaller firms are exempt from this rule.
“These businesses usually don’t have the expertise or the financial resources
necessary to develop water sustainability plans.
“This toolkit will give small business owners a practical understanding of their water
use and show them where they can affordably implement water savings.”
The toolkit works by first classifying businesses according to the food product they
manufacture and establishing the relevant water performance benchmarks.
The program takes users through a series of windows to determine how water is
used in manufacturing, comparing the various processes with industry benchmarks
and cross-checking the total volume consumed with actual billing data.
Businesses are then presented with a range of water saving options – including
using alternative sources such as rainwater – that meet the strict regulations
involved in food manufacturing.
Dr Jayasuriya said while the toolkit was developed specifically for food
manufacturers, the information it provided could be useful for any other
manufacturing businesses looking to cut their water use.
For more information: Dr Nira Jayasuriya, (03) 9925 3795 or 0438 313 679.
For general media enquiries: RMIT University Media and Communications,
Gosia Kaszubska, (03) 9925 3176 or 0417 510 735.
27 January, 2009
NEWS 
