Systems and methods for conserving water and other resources for use with commercial washing machines

A system configured to conserve resources, for use with a commercial laundry washing machine including a solenoid valve within an unpressurized drain pipe section through which wash water from the washing machine is discharged into a waste water treatment or disposal system, the commercial laundry washing machine draining from a bottom of the washing machine, without any siphon break between the commercial laundry washing machine and where the wash water is discharged into the waste water treatment or disposal system, the system comprising:

• a portion of the unpressurized drain pipe section exterior to the washing machine, downstream from the solenoid valve, at or below the bottom of the commercial laundry washing machine, and upstream from where the drain pipe empties into a floor drain or wall drain that provides access to the waste water treatment or disposal system being of a transparent material so as to allow an operator or technician to visually ascertain if water is draining through the transparent portion of the drain pipe section even though the solenoid valve is attempting to close;
• the transparent portion of the drain pipe section further comprising an access port through a top surface of the transparent portion of the drain pipe section to allow a technician to insert a test strip through the access port into wash water discharged from the washing machine to test pH, bleach concentration, or other chemical characteristics of the discharged wash water.

A method of conserving resources, the method comprising:

• providing a rigid transparent pipe portion to a rigid drain pipe of a commercial washing machine, which transparent pipe portion is exterior to the washing machine, downstream from a valve of the drain pipe associated with the washing machine, upstream from where the drain pipe empties into a drain that provides access to a waste water treatment or disposal system, the commercial washing machine draining from a bottom of the washing machine, without any siphon break between the commercial washing machine and where the wash water is discharged into the waste water treatment or disposal system, the transparent pipe portion of the drain pipe being at or below the bottom of the commercial laundry washing machine, which transparent pipe portion allows an operator or technician to visually ascertain if wash water is draining through the transparent drain pipe portion even though the valve of the drain pipe associated with the washing machine is attempting to close;
• and
• periodically checking or instructing a user to check the transparent drain pipe portion to determine if wash water is draining through the transparent drain pipe portion even though the valve is attempting to close;
• and
• repairing or replacing, or instructing a user to repair or replace the valve when wash water is determined to be draining through the transparent drain pipe portion even though the valve is attempting to close.