With the south-east of England and East Anglia already in the grip of a serious drought and more northern
parts of the country likely to also be affected, water efficiency is coming to the fore. Keri Reynolds explains
how a
With the south-east of England and East Anglia already in the grip of a serious drought and more northern
parts of the country likely to also be affected, water efficiency is coming to the fore. Keri Reynolds explains
how advances in washroom technology mean businesses can save water without compromising hygiene
Saving water is an essential part of
many organisation's environmental
programmes but this year it is an
even more important priority as the
prospect of summer hosepipe bans for
the UK makes the news. On 20 February,
the Environment Secretary announced
that the south east of England had
officially moved into drought status.
According to the Environment Agency:
'This is due to the combination of
persistent dry weather and the continuing
decline in groundwater levels and river
flows, increasing the risk to public water
supplies, agriculture and the
environment.'
By taking a 'greener' approach your
company, customers, staff and the wider
community all benefit. In its water
efficiency publication Waterwise, the
Environment Agency states that many
organisations pay higher water costs than
necessary, and that by implementing
simple water management plans, firms
could reduce their water consumption by
up to 80%. The agency also gives some
tips on conserving water in your business,
including:
Always monitor how much water you
use and compare use on a regular basis
Manufacturing companies should
compare water use against production
output and service sector companies
should compare use against staff
numbers
Ensure pipes are well insulated against
frost
Keep water-using equipment well
maintained and check it periodically for
leaks
Look at alternative water sources such
as using rainwater and greywater (waste
water generated from domestic
activities such as laundry, dishwashing
and bathing)
Encourage staff to report leaks and
ensure any leaks are repaired quickly
When buying new equipment take its
water efficiency into account
Fit water minimising controls where
possible e.g. push taps, flow
regulator/restrictors, cistern
displacement devices, spray nozzles on
hoses, low-flush toilets and sensoractivated
urinal flushing
The washroom is somewhere that energy
saving schemes can easily be put into
action and PHS has a range of water
saving products that have delivered results
for companies and organisations across
the UK. For example, the SMARTdri hand
dryer is an extremely energy-efficient
hand dryer, using 90% less energy than
traditional versions, drying hands in just
10 seconds; the Flush-wiser WC Flush
Control saves up to three litres of water
per flush and is approved by the Water
Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS);
and Saver Tap converts taps to a push
option to prevent them from being left
running.
Companies that have used these
products report they deliver tangible
results without compromising on
performance. Ben Lain, operations
manager for The Lewis Partnership, said:
"Installing Flush-wiser has been a really
positive step in improving our
environmental rating. The installation was
very efficient and there has been no loss
in water pressure or compromising of
flush hygiene."
Cost efficiencies are another huge
benefit, as Gordon Ogilvie, property and
estates manager for Elwood College,
Scotland, explains: "I am very pleased with
the energy and cost savings that we have
made from installing SMARTdri hand
dryers, and I have calculated that this
change alone should make a projected
saving of over £4,000 in the first year."
By installing this sort of equipment in
washrooms companies really can start to
achieve their business and environmental
ambitions. So, if you want to save money,
time and energy, impress your staff and
customers, and do your bit to save the
planet, water management in your
washrooms is a step in the right direction.
Keri Reynolds is the marketing manager for
PHS Washrooms.
