“We have been working with a number of public institutions recently, and one thing that stood out to us was just how much money, more than £1,000 per year on average, could be saved if a range of simple measures were put in place in schools throughout the North East.
“Public sector buildings, although usually well looked after, often have outdated water infrastructure. Considerable savings could be made through being more efficient with water, and when these organisations are publically funded, there is an incentive to ensure these savings are met.
“These measures can be in the form of installing new technology like water harvesting systems, which we are seeing an increase in take up, as organisation become more aware of the benefits not just in cost saving but the reduction in environmental impact.
“Watering harvesting”, the simple process of capturing rain water as it falls onto the roof of a building. The water is then stored for later use and recharged into the ground.
“Through that process alone it is estimated that the average education establishment could collect 3,000 cubic meters of rainwater each year. That would be a saving of £3,600 in water charges alone. You can also apply to have your surface water to sewerage charge looked into. A school bill for instance will be made up of three main elements, roof area, parking (tarmac/concrete) area and playing fields. Of which the roof area is now being used to capture that water so it’s not going to sewer.
“Other suggested measures include ensuring the frequency of self-flushing toilets is regulated, and the carrying out a full site leak test, to determine if water is being lost in the system. You would be surprised at what we find.
“From the outset our goal at TWS is to help organisations gain a clear, strategic view of water usage. By comparing these to previous audits in relevant sectors, and by using real time information gained from Automatic Meter Reading we can not only deliver changes, but demonstrate the effect of this on the bottom line of our clients.”
Through a number of pilot projects with globally recognised customers, Total Water Solutions has found that companies typically save around 30% of their annual water bill if they undertake a Water Audit, using specialist knowledge that Northumbrian Water Group has developed over decades in industry, or through the use of AMR equipment.
For more information, visit: www.totalwatersolutions.co.uk