October 2012
7-35
7.7
Vivarium Washing and Watering Systems
Replacement Options
When purchasing a new cage, rack, bottle, or tunnel washer or replacing existing
equipment, look for models that use less water per load with the following features:
••
Cycle selection that allows users to choose fewer rinse cycles
••
Reuse of final rinse water as wash water for the next load
••
Water intake monitoring to adjust the amount of water used based on load size
••
Use of high-quality water only during the final rinse cycle
As an alternative to automatic animal watering systems, manual bottle fillers use only
as much water as the animals need for drinking purposes. Where automatic animal
watering systems are used, consider systems that recirculate treated water when
purchasing new equipment.
Savings Potential
Cage, rack, bottle, or tunnel washers can be replaced with more efficient equipment
to save water. Retrofitting or replacing existing animal watering equipment will also
achieve water savings.
To estimate facility-specific water savings and payback, use the following information.
Cage, Rack, Bottle, or Tunnel Washer Replacement
Washers can be replaced with new, more water-efficient technologies that reduce
the amount of water used during rinse and wash cycles and reuse rinse water in the
next wash cycle. These more efficient models can use up to 90 percent less water per
load than older, conventional models.
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Current Water Use
To estimate the current water use of an existing cage, rack, bottle, or tunnel washer,
identify the following information and use Equation 7-11:
••
The washer’s water efficiency in gallons per load. This is typically provided by the
manufacturer through product literature or a website. The water efficiency will
be dependent upon the flow rate of each rinse or wash cycle, duration of each
cycle, and number of cycles.
••
Average number of loads per day.
••
Days of operation per year.
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Beckinghausen, David,
op. cit
.
