SCOTLAND’S public sector has saved over £4million in water costs in the past financial year.
The record savings have been delivered through a long-standing national framework partnership with one of the UK’s leading water retailers, which continues to support major public sector organisations including the NHS, Police Scotland and local authorities across the country.
Edinburgh-based water retailer, Business Stream, has confirmed the £4.4million savings milestone as part of its ongoing delivery under the Scottish Government’s Water and Waste Water Services Framework, a contract worth in excess of £240million.
The latest total represents a significant increase on the previous year’s savings of £3milion and reflects growing engagement from public sector organisations alongside the rollout of advanced technology and enhanced data visibility tools.
Jo Dow, Chief Executive of Business Stream, said: “Public sector organisations are continuing to face increasing financial pressures while also working towards ambitious environmental targets.
“By combining smarter technology with close customer collaboration, we’re helping organisations gain greater visibility over water usage, identify opportunities to reduce waste and deliver meaningful long-term savings.
“The scale of the savings achieved this year highlights the value of taking a proactive and data-led approach to water efficiency across large and complex estates.”
A major driver behind the increased savings has been the continued rollout of automated meter reading (AMR) technology, which allows customers to access near real-time water consumption data and quickly identify unusual usage patterns.
The improved monitoring capabilities have supported faster leak detection, reduced unnecessary consumption and helped organisations better manage water use across healthcare facilities, schools, public buildings and community assets.
Business Stream has also expanded the use of enhanced Power BI reporting tools, providing customers with improved visibility over site performance, usage trends and potential efficiency opportunities.
And, in the past year, Business Stream has also delivered it’s annual £100,000 water efficiency fund, supporting the delivery of a range of water saving projects for public sector organisations across Scotland.