Fresh and fossil water is a rapidly diminishing resource worldwide. The accommodation sector is extremely vulnerable yet capable of reducing its consumption up to 50% while saving money, reducing chemicals and energy consumption. The ecoplan:net Water Conservation Planning Workshop provides a workbook/manual for participants to prepare your individual corporate water management plan including audit preparation and monitoring.

1. Water Conservation
Management Workshop
Preparing a Water Conservation Management
Plan for your accommodation facility

2. St. Eustatius Water
Conservation Management
Planning Workshop
Water Conservation Through Corporate Planning
A Water Conservation Management Workshop was delivered by James
MacGregor during the Statia Sustainability Conference, on World Tourism
Day, September 27, 2013 on the Dutch
Caribbean Island of St. Eustatius.
Participants were introduced to the Caribbean, local and
international issues associated with the diminishing fresh and fossil
water resources and the important contribution the tourism
industry, and particularly the accommodation and food services
sectors, can make to conserving water.
All areas of water use within the lodging facility where identified and
both techniques and technologies where presented to enable the
reduction of water consumption by guests and staff.
In order to assist property owners and operators with their
conservation initiatives, an exclusive ‘planning and auditing
workbook’ was designed to bring the workshop delegates through
each phase of the process of developing a water conservation
management plan. The workbook also served as an operator manual
for ongoing conservation initiatives.
All delegates left the session with their own corporate water
management strategy which they could implement immediately upon
return to their property

3. WATER
Our Diminishing Resource
Water has become possibly the most vulnerable resource on our planet. its diminishing
quantity and quality threatens the very existence of life as we know it. The tourism
industry is a significant consumer of this precious commodity and yet remarkably little is
being done by the stakeholders in this sector to protect and conserve their remaining
sources of fresh water.
Although 75% of the planet’s surface is covered by water, there is remarkably little that is available for
human consumption. Only 3% can be considered freshwater and two thirds of that is bound up in the
polar caps leaving a mere 1% available for our use. Furthermore most of that water is only available in the
Great Lakes of North America and Lake Baikal in Russia.
The projections are discouraging. By 2030 it is estimated that demand will exceed supply by 40%. We
already have approximately 800 million people who do not have adequate drinking water and this can be
expected to rise dramatically in the next two decades.
The tourism sector will undoubtedly continue to increase its demand for freshwater. Tourism trips are
increasing and 1.6 billion international travellers as well as possibly another 7 billion domestic travellers
are projected by 2020. Also the demand for luxury tourism products, new water-based activities and
higher quality food services will require more water than ever. Tourism must also compete with other
industry sectors such as agriculture which will as well require more water to feed an expanding
population.
Unfortunately as populations expand the increasing consumer demands suggest we will need 3.5 planets
to maintain our lifestyle by 2050 when the population peaks at 9 billion. As well as increased demand by
population growth, the depletion of our fossil water sources and ground water will contribute to a
decline in available fresh water. Climate change is also creating new “water stressed” zones around the
world and many region falls into this vulnerable category.

4. Water Conservation in the Lodging Sector
Faced with the challenges of conserving water many destinations, such as the Dutch
Caribbean, are sponsoring Water Conservation Management Planning Workshops
for accommodation suppliers and other tourism stakeholders.
The first workshop was conducted during the annual Statia
Sustainability Conference which coincided with the UNWTO 2013
campaign which focused on water conservation. The ecoplannet
workshop and workbook was specifically designed to assist
a c c o m m o d a t i o n s u p p l i e r s t o p r e p a r e a W AT E R
CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN for their facility.
Why conserve water?
Water conservation can reduce consumption by upwards of 40% to
50% in most lodging facilities.
Both the commercial and ethical issues were presented including;
1. COMMERCIAL: Water accounts for 10% of resort utility bills
Conservation reduces operating costs. An assessment considers both
water purchase and disposal. Water conservation leads to lower
water heating costs, a decrease in the use of chemicals and
detergents and wear and tear on equipment. The payback period is typically 1 to 2 years making it an
excellent investment.
2. ETHICAL: Resorts, and in particular those on small islands have a responsibility to use only what is
absolutely necessary and ensure that island residents are not deprived of essential water needs
It is also the Environmentally responsible thing to do as it conserves the island/
community water resources.
Conservation practices can enhance the facilities image and appeals to the responsible
tourists and ecotourist. It can also lead to increased visitor satisfaction from all segments.
Conservation reduces costs especially if the water comes from an expensive desalination process

5. An average guest can
use up to 700 litres/
day depending on the
size of the resort
Where does the
water go?
Guest Consumption
Water consumption per guest
usually depends on the grade and
services of the property. At a threestar facility, guests typically consume
300–400 L/day while a five-star
resort to could see consumption
levels of 500 to 800 L/day. The
average for the Caribbean would be
approximately 700 L/Guest/day.
Getting Started
“Find out where you are before
determining where to go”.
1. Understand the purpose
for each water use at your
facility,
2. Employees are your ears
and eyes - they must be part of
the process, and
2. If you don't measure it, you
can't manage it.
2. Involve your employees:
Your eyes and ears; They use
the equipment that uses water
- E m p owe r e m p l oye e s t o
become part of the solution.
Other areas include:
Water demand
in guest rooms
(without compromising guest
comfort) is as follows:
Showers…55%
Toilet…….25%
Basin……. 10%
Cleaning…10%
- Develop a company water
conservation management plan
- Provide incentive to identify
ways to reduce water use
The guest room is responsible for
the major use of water and
consumes 40% to 50%.
Guestrooms
- Where and when is water being
used? How is it being used and
by whom? Why is the water use
necessary?
- They are an excellent source of
information on cost effective
ways to reduce utility costs.
Where is your water
used?
F+B and Kitchens:
17% - 20%
Public toilets:
16%- 18%
Laundry:
19% - 15%
Gardens, landscaping:
4% - 6%
Pool:
5%
- Walk the facility, talk to
employees;
3. Measure + Monitor:
Monitoring water use is critical
to good control and
conservation
3 steps to begin a
Conservation Program
- Install water meters that are
electronically connected to
central information system,
1. Determine purpose +
need for each use
- Read the water meter on a
regular basis
- Identify uses that are vital to
your operation.
- Plot water use on a daily basis
and establish use patterns
- Consider future operational
improvement opportunities
- Use sub meters to manage cost
and identify problems in the
various systems and
departments.

6. Workshop Purpose
The workshop is structured to enable each participant to complete the session with their individual 5-year
Water Conservation Management Plan based on a 90 page workbook and manual. Furthermore the
workbook enables the participant to return to their property and continue to improve upon their overall plan.
Additional information can be included, employees can participate and ongoing monitoring will refine the available
information. The workshop is designed to encourage maximum participation and collaboration by all participants. Each
individual brings valuable information to the group and there is ample opportunity to share experiences.
Workshops Dynamics
1. A presentation (by the workshop facilitator) of the technical information associated with each phase;
2. Working in small groups the participants complete each phase of the water management plan
3. Each group presents their results of each phases encouraging feedback from the other participants.
Water Conservation Management Planning Process
Guided by the workbook and manual participants are guided through a comprehensive 7 phases resulting in
the final preparation of their individual Company Water Conservation
Management Plan. The phases include:
Phase I: Prepare an Environmental Policy Statement
Phase II: Create an Environmental and Water Management Team
and Stakeholder Partnerships
Phase III: Prepare an Environmental and Water Audit
Phase IV: Identify Key Environmental and
Water Conservation Opportunities and a Repositioning Plan
Phase V: Prepare a Water Conservation Management and
Monitoring Action Plan
Phase VI: Prepare Management and Staff Training Plan
Phase VII: Develop a Water Conservation Communication Plan

7. Workshop Facilitator: James MacGregor
James has 37 years experience consulting to the tourism sector including national-state-provincial-municipal
governments, private companies, NGO's, indigenous people's organizations and communities. He has been project
manager on more than 400 tourism and economic development assignments. He is an internationally recognized
sustainable tourism and protected area planner and an expert in ecotourism and sustainable tourism development.
Specific knowledge includes: preparation and implementation of sustainable tourism development strategies and
policies, community/regional tourism plans, market analysis, business plans/feasibility studies, green management
strategies, ecotourism, and adventure travel product development, resort and ecolodge planning/construction,
international e-marketing and investment strategies, and sustainable tourism training program design and
facilitation.
In 1992 he established ecoplan:net ltd., which became Canada’s leading sustainable tourism and ecotourism planning,
marketing and training consulting firm. He is cofounder and partner in both ECOadventures Ltd. an established
Canadian ecotourism and adventure travel company and the Lake Matagami Ecolodge in Northern Québec.
He has published numerous papers and is a frequent keynote speaker, lecturer and workshop facilitator in the
Americas, Asia and Africa. He has delivered more than 270 multi-day workshops to approximately 7000 participants
in 14 countries. The Sustainable Tourism/Ecotourism Training Trainer and Green Management
Workshop Series that he designed and delivered to 11 Commonwealth Caribbean Nations for the
Commonwealth Secretariat and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism was awarded the prestigious 1997 Green
Globe Achievement Award from the World Tourism and Travel Council.
The Sustainable Tourism Development Policies he prepared for the Bahamas received the 1996 Green Globe
Achievement Award. More recently the Morocco Rural Tourism Quality Assurance Program and the Botswana Green/
Ecotourism Certification Standards and Program were awarded the coveted 2009 and 2010 Tourism for
Tomorrow Awards respectively.
He recently completed the design of the Southern Africa
Harmonized Accommodation Program and Standards and the
Lesotho Accommodation Star Grading Program (QualStar), for the
World Bank.. In September he moderated the 2013 Annual
Northeast Asia Tourism Forum in Hunchun, China.
He was Chief of Party for the USAID/Morocco Rural Sustainable
Tourism Development Program and the Morocco/MCC Handcraft
Marketing Strategy. James operates a sustainable tourism planning
and economic development consulting practice in Morocco and
Romania.
For information on this and other workshops please contact:
James MacGregor, jmacgregor@ecoplannet.com