How to save water in the laboratory?
— Equipo JP Selecta
Water is one of the most indispensable and, at the same time, most undervalued resources in scientific routine. In most facilities, it is consumed massively and indiscriminately in daily operations of washing, cooling, vacuum generation or thermal maintenance.
However, faced with rising operating costs and the demand for environmental sustainability standards, learning how to save water in the laboratory has become a strategic priority.
Implementing efficiency policies does not mean cutting back on analytical rigour or compromising the validity of tests. Reducing water consumption is perfectly compatible with scientific precision. In the vast majority of cases, it is enough to correct bad habits at the workstation, audit existing processes and replace old or inefficient equipment with modern technological alternatives.
Where is water really consumed in a laboratory?
To tackle the problem and learn how to save water in analytical facilities, it is first necessary to identify the sources of invisible waste. Day to day, there are multiple points of continuous consumption that go unnoticed simply because "that is how it has always been done":
- Washing instruments: continuous rinsing under a running tap out of habit rather than procedural necessity.
- Cooling systems: equipment that requires an uninterrupted flow of cold mains water to condense solvents or cool reactions.
- Vacuum generation by aspiration: water aspirators that keep the water flowing at maximum pressure throughout the entire filtration process.
- Distillation and evaporation: condensers that use mains water in a single-pass open circuit straight to the drain.
- Sterilisation: autoclaves with cooling or steam purge systems that are not optimised.
- Thermal baths: open units with high evaporation rates that require constant topping up.
| Process | Estimated consumption (%) | Optimisation margin |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling and condensers | 35 – 45% | Very high (up to 95% with closed recirculators) |
| Vacuum generation (aspirators) | 20 – 30% | Excellent (complete elimination by switching to dry pumps) |
| Glassware washing | 15 - 25% | High (pre-wash protocols and automatic washers) |
| Water purification (osmosis/distillation) | 10 – 15% | Medium (review of reject rates and maintenance) |
| Sterilisation and thermal baths | 5 – 10% | Medium-High (digital cycles and condensation lids) |
The critical points where most water is wasted
If we analyse consumption in detail, most unnecessary waste is concentrated in four clearly defined critical points:
- Water aspirators: running-water aspirators are one of the most inefficient systems in existence. Keeping a tap open at high flow for hours to generate a moderate vacuum in a filtration can waste hundreds of litres of drinking water in a single morning.
- Single-pass condensers: in synthesis or rotary evaporation procedures, it is common to connect the coolant inlet directly to the mains tap and discharge the lukewarm water down the drain. This open circuit generates a massive loss of resources without providing any technical benefit.
- Sterilisation autoclaves: water consumption in autoclaves is not limited to steam generation inside the chamber. In older models, depressurisation systems or rapid cooling of the outer jacket consume disproportionate volumes of mains water if they do not have digital cycle management.
- Open baths: open-surface water or thermostatic baths without a lid undergo constant evaporation, losing water that must be topped up continuously to prevent the heating elements from being exposed.
By controlling these 4 points we have a good starting point for learning how to save water in the laboratory.
Measures to save water in the laboratory
Transforming facilities towards a sustainable model requires combining organisational changes with investment in efficient technology. Applying coordinated water saving measures allows the water footprint to be reduced drastically from the first weeks of implementation.
Audit consumption before acting
You cannot optimise what you do not measure. Installing flow meters or secondary meters by work area (washing zone, preparation rooms, reactors) makes it possible to quantify real consumption, detect anomalous overconsumption outside working hours and prioritise the interventions with the greatest economic return.
Replace single-pass cooling with closed circuits
Eliminating open condensation circuits by connecting rotary evaporators, distillers or reaction lines to independent recirculating cooling units (chillers) is the highest-impact measure.
The coolant fluid circulates in a continuously recalibrated sealed circuit, reducing operational water consumption to zero.
Review and calibrate purified water systems
Obtaining optimised type I, II or III grade water by means of reverse osmosis equipment or distillers requires rigorous control of the reject flow. A purification system with clogged filters or membranes without adequate maintenance can discard up to 4 or 5 litres of water for every litre of pure water produced.
Optimise the washing of materials
Replacing continuous manual rinsing under a running tap with automatic laboratory washers with dosed water cycles drastically reduces the volume used per item. For manual washing, setting up pre-wash and sequential immersion rinsing tubs is far more efficient than keeping the tap running.
Preventive maintenance as a saving measure
A leak dripping at a rate of one drop per second from a tap or from an autoclave filling valve generates a loss of more than 20 litres per day. Periodic inspections of seals, hoses and solenoid valves prevent silent overconsumption.
Consider purchasing efficient laboratory equipment
The first step in learning how to save water in the facility is to have efficient equipment.
When an old unit requires continuous resource consumption in order to operate, replacing it with models with built-in efficiency pays for itself quickly through savings on the utility bill and reduced maintenance costs.
How does JP Selecta help you save water in your laboratory?
The equipment that records the highest consumption volumes (such as autoclaves, rotary evaporators and thermal baths) is precisely the equipment that offers the greatest optimisation margin when efficient design technologies are integrated.
At J.P. Selecta we design scientific equipment incorporating advanced solutions geared towards energy and water saving as standard.
- Rotary evaporators with a closed cooling circuit
J.P. Selecta evaporation systems are designed to operate connected directly to sealed thermal circulators and coolers from the Chiller range. By using a closed circuit that recirculates the cooling liquid, the need to keep a tap running during solvent condensation is completely eliminated, achieving a sustainable process and exact thermal control of the sample.
→ You can explore all the available options in our rotary evaporators section.
- Autoclaves with digitally controlled cycles
Our latest-generation laboratory autoclaves incorporate microprocessor or PLC control units that manage the injection of distilled water and the generation of saturated steam in the boiler with maximum precision. This avoids unnecessary over-cycling and optimises consumption per sterilisation cycle. In addition, models fitted with an internal water tank supply only the exact volume required by the load, eliminating the waste typical of continuous atmospheric purge systems.
→ See the full range in the laboratory autoclaves catalogue.
- Thermostatic baths with uniform internal circulation
J.P. Selecta thermal baths (such as the Agibat series) have internal circulation pumps that ensure dynamic flow and temperature homogeneity of up to ±0.1 °C. This internal stability reduces the need for frequent purging or fluid renewal. Likewise, the addition of transparent methacrylate or stainless steel lids limits evaporation of the bath water, significantly reducing the need for topping up during long incubation periods.
→ You can discover these models in the thermostatic baths catalogue.
Promoting water sustainability in laboratory facilities is an environmental commitment and a smart financial decision that reduces operating costs without detracting from the rigour of analytical results.
Analysing consumption patterns, eradicating inefficient practices and updating critical equipment makes it possible to build a modern, responsible and efficient working environment. If you wish to adapt your facilities with recirculation or optimised sterilisation solutions, our technical team will advise you on selecting the ideal equipment.