Fresh water is a finite resource. Thanks to the effects of climate change, combined with a growing population, water scarcity is becoming a problem in the UK. Water efficiency and saving water is therefore not just about the need to save money, it’s also a way of ensuring there’s enough water to go around in the future.
Stop the leaks
A leaking pipe will waste a lot of water, and if you don’t notice it, it’s likely that you’ll end up with a significantly higher water bill. Even a moderate leak (1 litre per second) could add an extra £55,000 to your annual water bill. Checking your water meter readings on a regular basis will help you identify a big underground leak sooner rather than later.
Don’t be a drip
You also need to keep on top of small leaks and dripping taps. A dripping tap may not appear to be a problem, but it can waste 60 litres of water a week. If you have more than one dripping tap on the premises, it’s all going to add up.
If the leak is more than a drip, then the water wasted is even greater. For example, a leaky toilet can waste up to 400 litres of water a day- so if you don’t get it fixed quickly, it won’t take long before your organisation has spent a significant amount of money and received nothing in return.
Recycling
Recycling your greywater or harvesting rainwater could help you save significant amounts of water. You won’t need to buy as much clean water, and with greywater recycling you have the additional advantage of drastically reducing the amount of wastewater, which also contributes to lower costs.
Saving water in small ways, but it all adds up
Even the smallest savings will help, and there are ways of saving water that will also save you money on your electricity bill. It’s as simple as encouraging employees not to overfill the kettle when they’re making hot drinks. It’s tempting to fill the kettle every time you go to the sink, but if you’re only making one or two hot drinks, you’re wasting a lot of money heating water you’re not going to use.
When people want a glass of tap water, what normally happens is that they’ll let the tap run until the colder water comes through, which wastes a lot of water, especially if everyone does it. A simple way around this is to fill up glass bottles, or water filter jugs, and keep them in the fridge. That way, there will always be chilled water on demand without the need to keep the tap running.
At the end of the day when it’s time to wash up the day’s mugs and glasses, rather than keep the hot tap running as individual items are washed, fill the sink and do everything at once to save water. This will have the added advantage in also using less power as there’ll be less water to heat up.
Whether you’re a small office or a large manufacturer, there’s always something you can do to save water. Click here to download our free water efficiency guide for businesses, with lots of useful information and tips. Alternatively, contact us to arrange for a water efficiency audit - our experts will look at all your water use and make suggestions for improvements that could bring significant savings to your business.
Behavioural change
Of course, the main difficulty with trying to implement water saving measures is getting employees behind them. The challenge is to not only get your entire team on board with the idea of saving water, but also to ensure they get into the habit of doing so. Our water efficiency guide includes tips on behavioural change, for example, signage and educational posters, and email reminders to employees on ways they can save water.
