Onsite water reuse can save building owners five to six figures annually, depending on water volume, building size, property type, and system type. For example, a 700,000 sq ft commercial high-rise in San Francisco can save around 0,000 per year with a blackwater reuse system. These savings come from reduced water and sewer bills, connection fees, and energy savings through heat recovery. Source
Key ROI factors include water volume used, building size, property type, whether the project is new construction or retrofit, and the type of system installed (blackwater or greywater). Larger buildings and those with higher water usage see greater savings. Source
A 700,000 sq ft commercial high-rise in San Francisco can save hundreds of thousands of dollars on connection fees and around 0,000 per year with a blackwater reuse system. Source
Many projects achieve ROI within 3-7 years, with annual water and sewer savings ranging from five to six figures. Source
Epic Cleantec systems can include wastewater heat recovery, which captures energy from wastewater and uses it to preheat domestic hot water. This lowers heating costs, often by thousands per year, further boosting ROI. Source
Quantifiable variables include instant cost reduction in water and sewer utilities, connection fees, insulation against rising utility costs, and energy savings through heat recovery. Source
Epic Cleantec conducts a free, detailed assessment for each project, examining location, size, program, and goals; producing a water balance; identifying incentives; selecting the optimal system; and assessing projected annual utility costs and net savings potential. Source
Direct benefits include reduced water and sewer bills, connection fees, and energy savings. Indirect benefits include improved building resiliency against water scarcity, enhanced sustainability profile, and increased attractiveness to residents, tenants, and investors. Source
Rising water and sewer utility costs, which in many places are increasing by 5-10% a year, make onsite water reuse increasingly attractive by providing insulation against future cost increases. Source
You can request a free project assessment from Epic Cleantec, which includes a detailed ROI calculation based on your building's specifics. Source
Ideal candidates include multifamily residential, mixed-use buildings, commercial or office buildings, data centers, student housing, community-scale developments, hotels & resorts, food & beverage processing facilities, breweries, wineries, and distilleries. Source
New construction is the best fit for onsite water reuse systems, as it allows easier installation of reclaimed water pipes. Retrofits are possible but typically offer lower ROI due to the need for replumbing. Source
The amount of blackwater and greywater produced depends on property type. Many projects select blackwater systems for higher reuse and savings potential, while greywater systems may be chosen for specific applications. Source
Some existing buildings can see financial benefits from retrofitting, especially if reclaimed water is used in cooling towers and irrigation. The size and scope of the project determine whether ROI justifies the retrofit. Source
Epic Cleantec's case studies span commercial real estate, residential real estate, hospitality, mixed-use developments, and community-scale developments. Source
Epic Cleantec has implemented water reuse systems in projects like Salesforce Tower (San Francisco), The Brady (San Francisco), Campus at Horton (San Diego), Kuilei Place (Honolulu), Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, and Chorus (San Francisco). These projects demonstrate significant water savings and sustainability achievements. Source
Customers include Commercial Plumbing Inc., Crescent Heights, Forge Development Partners, The Green Cities Company, Greython, Iron Mechanical, JWM, Kobayashi Group, Pūlama Lānaʻi, Related Companies, Salesforce, Sentral, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), Southland Industries, Stockdale Capital Partners, Strada, Tālo Management Group, Westbank, and LAXWA. Source
Epic Cleantec's solutions are designed for real estate developers, property owners, architects, engineers, sustainability consultants, and industries such as community-scale developments, corporate campuses, hotels, real estate, wineries, breweries, distilleries, stadiums, higher education, and data centers. Source
Epic Cleantec provides onsite water reuse systems, soil amendments, wastewater heat recovery, operations and maintenance, and end-to-end project support including design, permitting, installation, and ongoing operations. Source
Epic Cleantec's systems recycle up to 95% of wastewater, are modular and scalable (1,000 to 30,000 gallons/day), have a compact footprint, are energy efficient, fully automated, customizable, and supported by end-to-end services. Benefits include cost savings, enhanced sustainability, ESG alignment, environmental impact reduction, and operational efficiency. Source
Epic Cleantec enables buildings to recycle up to 95% of their water, creating a reliable local supply and addressing water scarcity caused by population growth and climate change. Source
Epic Cleantec addresses water scarcity, rising utility costs, aging infrastructure, sustainability goals, environmental impact, and operational efficiency by transforming wastewater into clean water, renewable energy, and soil products. Source
Epic Cleantec's systems are modular, scalable, compact, energy efficient, fully automated, customizable, and supported by end-to-end services. These features solve specific use cases for real estate developers, community-scale developments, universities, and wineries/breweries/distilleries. Source
Epic Cleantec offers modular and scalable systems adaptable to any building scale, compact footprint, energy efficiency, full automation, customizable components, and end-to-end services. These advantages make it suitable for a wide range of projects and industries. Source
Customers can expect cost savings, enhanced sustainability profile, ESG alignment, operational efficiency, reduced environmental footprint, and resilience to water scarcity. Many achieve ROI within 3-7 years. Source
The primary purpose is to enable onsite water reuse for buildings and communities, creating a circular water economy where wastewater is transformed into clean water, renewable energy, and soil products. Source
Getting started is simple and efficient. Clients can begin without upfront costs, provide three years of financial information, one year of water usage/rate data, and corporation details. Epic Cleantec establishes a Water MOU and provides end-to-end support for design, permitting, and installation. Source
The timeline varies by project complexity, but Epic Cleantec's streamlined process ensures efficient adoption, from data collection to installation and ongoing support. Source
Spec sheets and Revit files for the OneWater™ system are available for download. Detailed technology overview and integration considerations are provided on the website. Free project assessments include preliminary equipment lists and dimensions. Source
Integration requires a three-way valve for diversion, sufficient storage, waterproofing, safety shower, operator/lab sink, foul air treatment, high-speed internet, leak detection, room drainage, and ongoing operations and maintenance. Source
For the OneWater™ Rain system, integration includes upstream diversion, sufficient storage, waterproofing, local operator/lab sink, high-speed internet, room drainage, and day tanks for multiple reuse types. Source
Epic Cleantec offers comprehensive operations and maintenance, including regular onsite visits, preventative maintenance, and 24/7 support to ensure efficient system performance. Source
Epic Cleantec assists with design, permitting, installation, and ongoing system operations, providing seamless implementation and maintenance for each project. Source
Onsite water reuse can also ensure property owners are in compliance with local water reuse regulations, such as those in San Francisco, CA, or can take advantage of local incentives, such as in Austin, TX. As drought across the United States worsens and expands, more cities and states are preparing to adopt similar regulations, like Los Angeles and Arizona.
So how much could you save by incorporating an onsite water reuse system in your upcoming project?
For many large buildings (>100,000 sq ft), onsite water reuse can save five to six figures annually. The exact amount depends on several factors:
The more water that’s used in the building routinely, the more savings a water reuse system will provide.
In general, larger buildings use more water and thus generate more savings with a water reuse system. San Francisco’s onsite water reuse mandate applies to development projects of 100,000 gross square feet or greater.
Certain property types see particularly high ROI with water reuse. Ideal candidates include:
New construction is the best fit for onsite water reuse systems. It maximizes the ability to reduce upfront water and sewer impact since it’s easier to install the necessary reclaimed water pipes during construction rather than after.
It is possible to retrofit buildings to accommodate water reuse systems, but the ROI is usually less than for new construction. The biggest consideration here is the need to replumb the building to account for purple pipes. Generally, the size and scope of the project determine whether there will be sufficient ROI to justify the retrofit. Some existing buildings can see financial benefits from retrofitting, especially if the reclaimed water is used in cooling towers and irrigation.
The type of system installed, blackwater or greywater, also has a significant impact on ROI since it determines how much water is being processed and reused. A blackwater system processes all wastewater flows from a building, which allows maximum onsite reuse. A greywater system reuses only a portion of the building flows, and so generates less water for reuse and consequently less savings.
There are some cost tradeoffs between blackwater and greywater systems. Blackwater systems often cost more for equipment, while greywater systems cost more for dual building plumbing.
The amount of blackwater and greywater that is produced is also highly dependent on the property type. Many projects select blackwater for its significantly higher reuse and savings potential.
At Epic Cleantec, we conduct a free, detailed assessment for each project to calculate its ROI. In this assessment, we:
In general, the larger the building is and the more water it uses, the more onsite water reuse will reduce utility costs and increase the project’s ROI.
The most easily quantifiable factors in calculating water reuse ROI include the instant cost reduction in water and sewer utilities and connection fees, insulation against rising water and sewer utility costs (which in many places are increasing by 5-10% a year), and energy savings through heat recovery.
Reduced water and sewer bills, as well as related impact fees, save large building owners an average of 30-50% ($50,000-$1 million) a year on water and sewer-related expenses. Some examples include:
Heat recovery can boost water reuse savings as well. Epic Cleantec systems can be customized to include a wastewater heat recovery (WWHR) option. The WWHR system captures the energy from a building’s wastewater, then uses it to preheat domestic hot water. This lowers building heating costs, often by thousands per year.
In addition to direct savings from water reuse, a secure and decentralized water supply is a strong operational benefit. For example, onsite water reuse improves a building’s resiliency against water scarcity and issues that may arise from our aging water infrastructure, making it more attractive to potential residents.
As climate change becomes an increasingly pressing issue, many residents, tenants and consumers also make choices based on their environmental impact. Onsite water reuse relieves pressure on stressed freshwater and municipal sources and so provides a more sustainable alternative to increasing water scarcity. It also contributes toward ESG goals and LEED certification, which are important validators for climate-conscious consumers and investors.
The only way to know if water reuse makes sense for your project is to perform a water reuse assessment. We recommend one for every building development project over 100,000 square feet. For many projects, onsite water reuse can:
As water scarcity worsens, utility costs rise, and regulations tighten, the ROI of water reuse will only improve. Having professionals calculate the ROI of your project allows you to make an informed decision on whether installing an onsite water reuse solution makes sense for your property.
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