Water-saving awareness increased at NHS Trust, with water retailer Water Plus

Awareness around saving water and reducing energy use, during everyday actions, was the theme of a sustainability day delivered for staff at an NHS Trust.

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust is engaging more with staff and visitors around saving water, as it steps up its actions to reduce carbon emissions – to help communities across the Greater Manchester area and help the NHS to their Net Zero target.

As part of the Green Plan that’s underway at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, they’ve teamed-up with Water Plus, which is helping to highlight water-saving which can also save energy.

The Trust, which has committed to Net Zero carbon emissions by 2038, has received additional water checklists and guides from Water Plus to help identify areas where additional improvements can be made. They’ve also received further water efficiency information to help with their awareness programme, which includes Sustainability Champions – and to help improve on reporting on any dripping taps or leaks across sites.

A Water Plus Key Account Manager also joined one of the Trust’s Sustainability session days, with 80 staff including nurses, doctors and other hospital staff taking part in a water quiz to raise awareness around reducing water use, where possible – and how this can reduce energy use at work and at home too.

Thomas Mitchell, Sustainability Manager, iFM Management Office, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We’ve been working with Water Plus around highlighting water-saving steps to many more staff at the Trust. We’ve also been looking at more ways to monitor water usage across buildings, as part of the Trust’s Green Plan to track and target areas for reduction and resource efficiencies. Thank you to our Key Account Manager from Water Plus for attending the Royal Bolton Hospital to support our sustainability targets during COP 28 week.

“We were able to promote sustainable water management in the workplace and at home for staff, patients and visitors.

“It was a great success that has led to plenty of positive and immediate feedback.”

The sustainability day was in December 2023.

Lisa Moore, who heads up the public sector team at Water Plus who work with the Trust, said: “We’re delighted to be helping Bolton NHS Trust with their journey to Net Zero to help our planet and lower impacts on communities for the future. We manage the water and wastewater services for many organisations, including in the public sector – such as councils, schools, colleges, universities, UK Government-owned sites, hospitals and the emergency services – so we understand their different needs and drivers and we’ve helped organisations make significant savings across their portfolio, reducing water use and contributing to their sustainability aims and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“It was great for our Key Account Manager to join one of a series of engagement days around sustainability approaches at the Royal Bolton Hospital, which saw a range of staff learning more about energy and water use at home and at work.”

Improving water efficiency and cutting any water waste can decrease energy bills, where less hot water is used. There are carbon emissions linked to all water used in buildings.

The Trust delivers care through the Royal Bolton Hospital, amongst others, which is a major hub in Greater Manchester, including women’s and children’s services – and is the second busiest ambulance-receiving site in Greater Manchester. The Trust is one of the busiest in the North West.

Water Plus won a Gold for Carbon Reduction and a Water Management award, for work with organisations around water use – and increasing water efficiency – at the Green Apple Environment Awards in November 2023. In March and April 2023 it won three customer awards, including a UK Customer Satisfaction Award from the Institute of Customer Service.

You can view a webinar, with the PSSA, on water-saving in the public sector at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXZGap4UukI .