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Be wiser with your building’s water this summer…and beyond!
During hot weather, water supply interruptions and restrictions can be more likely as demand increases on the water networks.
From small steps to larger solutions, we can all be wiser on water this summer – and beyond, which can also help keep water flowing for everyone. Cutting any areas of water waste, along with making what’s used go further, can all help reduce energy costs and impacts on the environment too.
The multi award-winning water experts – and Global Good Awards 2023 Innovation category sponsor – at business water retailer Water Plus share some top water tips…
Quick water checks at sites make a difference
To keep water flowing for everyone, it’s important that we all take steps to cut out water waste at sites and help reduce unnecessary water use, overall.
Whether you’re a business – which is small, or large – or a charity, or community committee running activities at a building, little steps can add up to big results. This can be as simple as some quick checks at a building, along with small changes to stop water waste.
Tips to be wiser with water, throughout the year
- Tap aerators are low-cost and can cut water use and save energy, as less hot water is needed. Tap aerators and water efficient showerheads are quick wins – and they helped a rugby club cut water use by 36%, at peak times, after they worked with Water Plus to fit the kit. These devices have helped other sites see average savings of 34.6% this year – and gain thousands of pounds of savings too.
- Note down how much water you use during the year and look for dripping taps and running water. A leaky loo can waste up to 400 litres of water a day. That’d fill five bath tubs! Drips on showers and in kitchens and elsewhere also means more water waste at a building and the chance to lower utility costs, by stopping these.
Some smaller leaks on site pipes can also affect the flow of the water at your building and can cause water to stop suddenly. - Turn taps off after use to cut water waste – as a running tap uses around 6 litres of water a minute. That’s equal to more than 18 cans of fizzy drink.
- If you have grounds at the site, you can reuse rainwater, with a water butt, cutting tap water use – and consider drought resistant plants and mulch to cover soil, which also reduces watering that’s needed. Turf is tough stuff too – and can recover easily from browning and drier conditions, so that’s an area where water use can be reduced too. Swap sprinklers for watering cans too, to cut tap water use.
- Some water leaks are not easy to spot and can be underground: Tracking your water use through checking the water meter weekly, if it’s safe to access, will help point to any potential leaks on-site.
- Look for signs of a leak outside buildings too – such as damp walls, or lush foliage – which can be a sign of an underground pipe leaking.
- Ask staff – and visitors to your site – to report leaks, so a repair can be arranged promptly and to identify processes and areas that could be wasting water. Taking action to complete repairs of leaks quickly will help to prevent water bill costs increasing further from water loss too.
Track what water’s used by noting meter readings during the year
Knowing how much water you’re using is a great place to start any savings journey. If you have multiple sites, comparing usage will help you learn how sites are performing and spot any anomalies.
One site spotted an increase in water use of 71 cubic metres of water – that’s 71,000 litres of water – when no-one was on-site, after tracking their use during the year. They contacted the Water Plus Advanced Services team who located the issue underground at the site in February this year – and the site took steps to stop the leak.
Plus – if you send regular meter readings to your water retailer, you’ll benefit from bills based on usage rather than estimates. Water Plus customers can do this easily in online MyAccount.
Water may be in Scope 3 – though shouldn’t be looked at last
Saving water can help support other sustainability initiatives, because there’s carbon and energy associated with the water we all use – from heating it at a building, to moving it across sites.
Expert water efficiency advice and innovation
The Advanced Services team, which provides a range of Value Added Services at Water Plus, have years of experience working with a wide range of sites around water use.
Whether it’s re-routing plumbing to re-use grey water, diverting rainwater and configuring non-return-to-sewer options, or implementing expert trade effluent innovations, there’s a solution available to help any organisation reduce, re-use and re-cycle their water more efficiently and effectively.
Get in touch with our expert team at: advancedservices@water-plus.co.uk, to find out more about a solution to suit you. Mention “Global Good Water” in the email subject heading. You can also see more water tips on the Water Plus website here.
Water Plus won a UK Customer Satisfaction Award in March 2023 and a Global Gold Award in Water Management in the Green World Awards 2023, in April 2023, for its work with organisations large and small around their water use and water efficiency.
