Getting started with water efficiency
14 August 2019 Reading time: 4 mins
The need for action is growing more urgent and without major strides in water efficiency, the UK could be facing serious water shortage challenges sooner than expected. The Environment Agency’s latest National Framework for Water Resources warns that England could face a shortfall of five billion litres of water per day by 2055.
By taking small, simple steps businesses can make a significant difference to the amount of water they use and enjoy cost saving and environmental benefits. Below are our top tips to help your business in becoming more water efficient.
Understanding your water usage
The first step toward better water efficiency is understanding how much water your business actually uses. Without this baseline, it’s difficult to spot waste, set goals or measure progress.
You can do this through:
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Reviewing your water bills and looking for patterns, seasonal spikes or inconsistencies
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Using our benchmarking tool and comparing your usage to similar businesses to identify areas for improvement, and
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Tracking your usage over time, spotting trends and quickly responding to changes.
Installing an AMR
Installing an Automated Meter Reader (AMR) is one of the most effective ways to take control of your water usage. AMRs collect data every 15 minutes which is automatically sent to an online portal, giving you easy access to data and insights so you’ll have a clear view of how much water your business is using. For larger businesses with multiple sites or high water consumption, having an AMR is especially valuable as it helps track water use across different sites and spot ways to save.
Checking for hidden leaks
Hidden leaks could be costing your business money. Even small, unnoticed leaks can waste thousands of litres of water, driving up your bills. Regular leak checks should be part of your water saving routine.
How to spot a leak:
1. Turn everything off - shut off all taps, appliances and any equipment that uses water.
2. Check your meter - if the dial is still moving, you may have a leak. It’s worth leaving everything off for a few hours and then checking your meter reading again.
2. Look for signs - concentrate on areas where you know there are water pipes and look for damp patches or mould.
4. Use our leak detection service - our expert team uses specialist equipment to find hidden leaks quickly and accurately, helping you avoid unnecessary costs and water waste. Find out more on our Solutions page.
Water efficiency education in the workplace
Raising awareness about water efficiency is essential for businesses to do their part in saving water. Simple educational efforts can go a long way, encouraging staff to implement easy habits like turning off taps when not in use and checking for dripping taps and toilets can significantly reduce water waste.
Taking the next step
For more tips and resources, visit our water efficiency page.
We’re fully committed to improving our environmental performance and are certified to ISO 14001:2015. You can find out more in our environmental policy. Our Solutions team are certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018.
