There’s no doubt about it, whatever you produce, the manufacturing process uses a lot of water.

In an era when Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability are high on many business agendas, manufacturers and factories need to show they are doing everything they can to save resources, which will help them reach their CSR targets.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2020 lists water crises in the top 10 global risks in terms of both likelihood and impact. Water scarcity is already a problem that affects a quarter of the world’s population, a situation that is set to worsen as a result of the climate crisis.

The good news is that any steps your business takes to achieve its sustainability targets by saving water will also save money. Any investment your business makes implementing water saving measures is bound to pay for itself in a short period of time.

As a manufacturer, how can I save water?

There are many steps your business can take that will help to save water and money in the manufacturing process. The best first step is to book a water efficiency audit of your premises. An audit will look at every aspect of how your site uses water and wastewater, from production to cleaning, staff use and exterior use.

It may well be that your business can save grey water and divert it to flush toilets, or to exterior taps to be used to water grounds and clean vehicles and paths. This will reduce your business water consumption and the amount of wastewater disposed of, with the bonus of subsequent cost savings. Clever use of your business water in this way will be a positive move towards reaching your CSR targets.

Automatic Meter Reading

Using a smart water meter can also help your business time, water and money. Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) regularly submits accurate water meter readings to ensure your bills are up-to-date, as well as giving your business the chance to monitor its water usage. The data you get from this will not only give you an indication of your company’s typical water consumption, but it can also be used as a way of assessing the effectiveness of any water saving measures you take. Unusual spikes in consumption can help to identify leaks so you can act fast to fix it, minimising damage, costs and downtime.

Why do you need CSR credentials?

More consumers are taking a stance when it comes to ethics and sustainability. A recent report by the Co-op found that over the past 20 years, the ethical consumer market grew from £11.2bn to £41.1bn in 2019. In addition, the number of people boycotting products and companies on ethical grounds grew by 600%.

It’s not just your customers that you have to satisfy - one survey discovered that a third of Millennials and Generation Z wouldn’t work for a company that doesn’t have green credentials, which could mean you’re missing out on talent. More than 70% would be happy to work long term for a company that has a good sustainability plan, and 10% would be willing to work for a lower salary if the company has strong CSR credentials.

Use suppliers with similar CSR credentials

As the UK’s leading independent water retailer, we do everything we can to help our customers save water and money. We regularly publish blogs and provide free, practical advice and resources to help improve sustainability and reduce consumption. We also encourage our customers to regularly submit their own meter readings to ensure their bills are up-to-date, and as an incentive, every time a Castle Water customer submits a meter reading, we donate £1 to Save the Children’s Emergency Fund.

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