How water can help future-proof your business

Water Plus is a Business Reporter client.

Tap into water’s power to increase efficiencies, reduce energy and cut carbon emissions

Water is essential for all businesses – and whether you’re already taking steps around water use, or you want to know where to begin, there are a few things to have in mind to help you keep delivering for your customers.

Water may be one of the lowest utility costs for your business, but it shouldn’t be looked at last. Small steps around water management can super-charge savings on energy, help with cost control and reduce carbon emissions.

Although 43 per cent of businesses say water is critical to the goods they produce or services they provide, 15 per cent don’t know the location of their water meter, a 2023 survey of 800 organisations found.*

Another 2023 survey found 1 in 4 businesses saved water, including by spotting leaks, after noting their water use more often in a year. Almost 40 per cent said it had helped budgeting and 2 per cent said it had saved energy.**

Scott MacIndeor, Head of Advanced Services at award-winning business water retailer Water Plus, said: “Knowing what’s being used where is the first step, so regular checks on water at sites is important for businesses, alongside tracking water use closer. That’s helped businesses identify opportunities, along with spotting issues at sites early.

“Small changes in a business can also lead to big water savings and reduce energy use and carbon emissions – all helping towards sustainability targets and goals and helping reduce impact on the environment. There are carbon emissions linked to water that’s used at a site, so the wider benefits from making what’s used go further can be tracked through a number of ways.”

Technical water efficiency experts at Water Plus have helped organisations of different sizes across sectors manage their water more easily, efficiently and effectively, saving energy where less water needs to be moved or used.

Scott said: “When it comes to water management, there is a range of technology and water efficiency kit that can help. Quick to install, low-cost water-saving measures will deliver immediate savings – with an average water saving of 34.6 per cent seen at a range of more than 40 sites in 2023.”

Data loggers on water meters, providing daily updates to an online portal through Water Plus, allows businesses to easily see opportunities for savings. Water meters are not always in easy-to-access locations where people can take readings safely, so technology that helps to track readings can be useful there too, particularly if you have a number of sites.

In 2023, one manufacturer told the Water Plus Advanced Services team that a data logger installed by the Water Plus team, as part of a number put in across sites since September 2022, was also helping them with energy saving. Tracking use more closely can help to spot underground leaks at sites too.

Scott continued: “Engaging employees will really help drive additional benefits. Employees can be a great source to suggest changes and different approaches to improve efficiency with water and processes even further, along with flagging areas where water waste may occur, such as a leak.”

Working with various sectors, Water Plus Key Account Managers have delivered a range of Sustainability Days in 2023, raising awareness with staff and encouraging water-saving actions.

Many organisations will already have looked into tap efficiency, flow rate controls and processes involving water. These are all important, but looking a little further ahead will help future budget planning and, ultimately, the bottom line.

Scott said: “As not every business’s water needs are the same, even in similar sectors, longer-term solutions and in-year actions are both worth looking into. For example, options to recycle water have become even easier to install at sites and we have a team working on future projects as organisations are seeing that preparing ahead makes clear business sense.

“Businesses are harnessing the power of water more and more and seeing the opportunities and wider benefits that greater water efficiency can have. Seek out business water experts to see further opportunities and the results that can be achieved.”

Work with organisations around their water use has seen Water Plus win a Global Gold Award in Water Management in the Green World Awards 2023 and a 2023 UK Customer Satisfaction Award. That follows two National Sustainability Awards in October 2022, including Carbon Reduction, and eight Green Apple Environment Awards in the past year, including Gold for Water Management in November 2022 and a Water Efficiency award in September 2023.

Find out more about efficiency approaches with business water and how Water Plus water experts are helping organisations across England and Scotland at water-plus.co.uk/better-ways-with-water .

Partner with a multi-award-winning business water retailer to increase efficiencies and lower running costs by contacting hello@water-plus.co.uk .

*Online independent survey, commissioned by business water retailer Water Plus, in March to September 2023, with 808 businesses responding. 15 per cent of 791 businesses didn’t know where their water meter was and 43 per cent of 785 businesses said water was critical to their production of goods or provision of services. Business sizes in the survey employed 1 to 9 and those employing 250 and more employees. Water Plus provides water and wastewater services including billing, account management, meter reading, technical water services and water efficiency expertise and advice to the largest number of customer supply points in England (713,000 supply points, known as SPIDs, as of 1 September 2023, published data).

**26.9 per cent out of 78 responses said looking at their water use more often had helped them save water, with the example on the question given of spotting a water leak. Responses to the Water Plus survey from February and March 2023. 39.7 per cent of the 78 said it was helping them budget, 2 per cent said it had saved them energy (with the example on the question given: by using less hot water) and 70 per cent had seen a benefit of reading their water meter more often. Survey with small and medium-sized organisations. Lower water use means less carbon emissions, due to the UK published conversion factor of CO2e per cubic metre of water and cubic metre of wastewater.