How looking at water use can help public sector organisations with the Climate Emergency challenge to go Net Zero

Green Apple Environment Award winner and water retailer Water Plus outlines what organisations in the public sector can do – and look at – to help with budgeting, forecasting and costs – now and for the future.

If you’ve declared a climate emergency for your area – or you need to look at how you can bring down utility costs at your sites this year – and you’re not sure how to tackle this, then here are some points to keep in mind.

April sees the start of a new financial year for some in the public sector and summer terms starting in England and Scotland for schools, so it’s a good time to look closer at water and how it can help with your environmental – and budget aims.

Saving water at your organisation can save energy – helping lower Scope 1 and 2 emissions and cut future running costs too. Using less hot water through small steps like tap aerators in kitchens and facilities and cutting any areas of water waste also help. In fact, using less water overall, including cutting any water waste, means lower Scope 3 emissions.

Barry McGovaney, Sustainability lead at Water Plus, the UK’s largest water retailer, said: “Water’s a whizz at helping lower Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. If water is heated with gas at your site, then Scope 1 emissions can be reduced by saving on the amount of water being heated. Hot water heated by electric heaters, would be under Scope 2 emissions, along with the amount of energy purchased overall. Water pumped around by electric pumps is also under Scope 2 emissions.

“Taking into account the cost of gas, the cost of hot water could now be over 4 times more than the cost of cold water – so water efficient taps, showerheads and other measures can all help there, reducing flow rates so overall water use should come down. It’s important to know what water you’re using, where and when, along with regularly checking site pipes, fittings and water meters, if they’re safe to access, ideally once a month.”

The benefits and impact closer tracking of water can have

Data loggers on water meters, that feed updates into an online portal have helped organisations to manage their water use too.

A university was alerted to an issue with their water pipes at a student accommodation campus, which has a number of blocks with those studying at the institution using hot and cold water each day during term dates. The site in England, which houses more than 2,000 students and is self-catering, was seeing 3.7 cubic metres of water an hour being lost in December 2021, tracked through a data logger on the main water meter. The cost was around £1,550 a week, showing how these can soon add up.

The sense in site checks to Be Wiser on Water

Regular servicing and maintenance of taps, toilets and urinals – as well as any water efficiency devices in buildings – is important – so it’s known they’re working properly and no water’s being wasted.

Along with regular monitoring of water use at sites, knowing what to do and where you’d get water if you need it is essential. It’s also important to consider if your staff and those visiting or using your site would know who to alert if they saw a water leak.

Water leaks can have significant impacts and, in some cases can stop site access. For example, in January 2022, a school had to partly close after a water leak prevented heating and hot water supplies to the site, according to the County Council.

With warmer days – and colder ones – ahead in 2022, it’s worth reviewing or introducing a water emergency plan for your site/s, so your employees know what to do if water was to stop suddenly at the workplace.

For more information on steps to take, email hello@water-plus.co.uk or go to www.water-plus.co.uk/sustainability #BeWiseOnWater .