Why every business needs a water strategy

Tony March, Director of Public Sector and Industrial Customers

When it comes to business utilities, water rarely makes the top of the list. Perhaps that’s because it’s often the smallest bill, or the misconception that it’s an unlimited resource.  However, now’s the time for all businesses to stop taking water for granted and start thinking about how and where they use water and treat it like a strategic asset.

By embracing this shift, it can benefit your business, the environment and support the UK’s journey to Net Zero. In this article we’ll explore the top five reasons why every business needs a water strategy:

   1.      You could reduce your water bill. You pay for the water you use, and waste. By carrying out a leak and flow test and some simple checks around your premises, you can easily spot issues like dripping taps and showers, leaky loos and urinals with an uncontrolled flush, all of which can add up to hundreds of pounds and thousands of litres of water per year.

   2.       It could save energy and reduce your carbon footprint. Heating, cooling, purifying and pumping water is a regular part of many businesses’ day-to-day operations, but these processes all require energy. By reviewing how and when you use water, not only could your water consumption be reduced but your carbon emissions as well, giving financial savings across both utilities. 

   3.       You’re part of the Government’s nine per cent non-household water reduction target. The UK is facing a significant water shortage within the next 20 to 30 years. It’s expected that by 2050, we’ll need an extra 3.4 billion litres of water each day to meet demand. Luckily, there are changes we can make now to reduce this deficit, and the Environment Act 2021 has set out a plan to start reducing water usage by the end of 2038, including a nine per cent water consumption reduction target for businesses. 

   4.       It can help ensure future growth. Businesses are responsible for around a third of all the water used across the UK, so being strategic about how you use it is important. The amount of water available in your region could start to restrict businesses opening new sites or completing large projects because wholesalers simply won’t have the water to supply. Understanding your consumption and minimising waste, can help you plan ahead and make sure there’s more to go around. 

   5.       It can contribute towards the UK achieving its Net Zero goals. To help mitigate the effects of climate change and achieve Net Zero in the UK before 2050, industrial clusters across the country are working on large-scale projects such as hydrogen and carbon capture schemes to decarbonise UK industry. For these projects to be realised, significant volumes of water will be needed. Being efficient now could help secure vital resources for the future.

Create your water strategy

A water strategy helps you understand the way you currently use water and allows you to put targets in place to achieve your water-saving goals – whether that’s to reduce your consumption by nine per cent or ensure your long-term project will have the water resources it needs.

Your water retailer can offer support in developing your water strategy, but to begin with, we’d recommend:

• Documenting who, what, when, where and why water is being used on your site
• Understanding your current water spend and seeing whether it has changed over time
• Reviewing the data you have available and, ideally, collecting more through taking regular meter reads, as this will help you spot trends in your consumption
• Exploring your site to identify any quick repairs or improvements you can carry out immediately, such as to leaking valves or taps.

At Wave, we’re keen to work with new and existing customers to help you get to grips with your water consumption. We’ll use our in-house expertise to offer advice and guidance on the best ways to manage it strategically.

Discover how your business could save water by getting in touch with Wave today.