As temperatures continue to soar throughout the UK, many of us aren’t complaining about the lack of the rain that typically characterises a British summer - but with greater pressure on our water supplies, we all need to make sure we’re using water wisely.
Heatwaves are such a novelty in the UK that it can be easy for us to mock hosepipe bans and dismiss recommendations to cut our water use. Since the heatwave began consumption has risen dramatically across the country, making it challenging for water companies to provide enough water to meet demand. This means that further hosepipe bans are a real possibility.
Water is a limited resource
It’s not just during heatwaves that we need to be concerned about water availability, as it’s estimated that two-thirds of the world’s population are currently facing water scarcity - the lack of available fresh water resources to meet water demand. Around 2.7 billion people are water scarce for at least one month of the year, and it’s not just a problem facing the typically dry, arid countries you may expect. In fact, The Environment Agency has warned that England will face water shortages by 2050 unless we act now to reduce the amount of water we use and waste.
As populations continue to grow, our water use will only increase further, putting an even greater strain on our already limited water supplies.
Water-wise businesses can make a difference
Whether you work in a large office filled with employees, or a small business with a handful of staff, there are lots of small changes you can make to save water in your workplace that can make a big difference when it comes to keeping demand down.
We recommend starting by taking stock of your current consumption, which can be as simple as taking a reading of your water meter, or as involved as accounting for all of the water that is used in the production and manufacturing of your products or services, and how water is used throughout your supply chain.
Once you’ve got a clear picture of your current water usage, you can begin your journey to becoming more water efficient. Look for any obvious areas for improvement – if you have showers on site, for example, you could install water-saving shower heads, and simply placing displacement devices in the cisterns of older toilets could enable you to save up to 5,000 litres of water per year.
It’s also important (and free!) to encourage your staff to become more water-wise. Make sure your staff are fully informed on any new water efficiency measures that are introduced and consider appointing a ‘water champion’ to ensure that staff are engaging with your initiatives. Our Water Warrior posters are a great way to remind your team of the little changes they can make to save water!
Take the plunge into water efficiency today
At SES Business Water, we understand how precious water is as a limited resource, and so we’re keen to help businesses to become more water efficient in any way we can. If you’re looking to start your journey to water efficiency, we’ve created a number of resources to support you, such as:
- Our Water Efficiency in the Workplace guide, which contains tips on how to save water at work, alongside how to get help with funding for efficiency initiatives and how to build the business case for water efficiency in your workplace
- How to use your smart water meter to become more water efficient
- Our Water Warrior posters to encourage your staff to get involved
If you would like to find out more about SES Business Water visit our website www.sesbusinesswater.co.uk