Water Management

HAVE YOU SEEN OUR WATER INFOGRAPHICS PAGE?

Water scarcity is something that already affects every single continent in the world, with UN Water figures showing that usage and consumption has been growing globally at over twice the rate of population increase in the last 100 years.

A growing number of regions are now reaching the limit at which these services can be delivered in a sustainable way, particular in arid parts of the world. As such, it is becoming increasingly important for countries and different regions to tackle the critical challenges posed by water stress – and urgently so.

Even doing a little bit of research into the crisis can quickly become overwhelming and there are lots of facts and figures flying about that can make it difficult to really grasp the seriousness of the situation.

To help businesses and individuals alike gain a deeper understanding of the problems associated with water stress and scarcity, we’ve been designing infographics on various topics related to the crisis to help you digest the information more easily – and find solutions to how you can best go about reducing your water usage and consumption across your site.

Topics include how you can reduce your water costs, surface water drainage, water leak detection, sustainable water development, alternative water sources and so on.

Our infographic on reducing water costs, for example, explains how we can help provide clarity on how your water service charges break down and how you can potentially secure a refund for incorrect billing.

It also suggests some onsite solutions to help put our recommendations into practice, whether that’s water leak detection and repair, water recycling systems or online flow monitoring.

But you can also delve deeper into the crisis itself with this infographic, which explains how the UK’s water scarcity Day Zero may actually be closer than we all think.

For example, did you know that experts are now predicting that parts of the UK will see problematic water scarcity become a reality in as little as 20 years… and if we have just three years of low rainfall, the majority of the country’s cities would see serious shortages of water supplies.

All these facts and a lot more can be found over on our infographics page and it really is a great resource for anyone wanting to find out more about the global water crisis. If you’d like to find out more about how you can go about being more sustainable as a business, get in touch with the team here at H2o Building Services. We can advise you on a range of different matters and can help make sure that your company reduces its water footprint now and well into the future. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk

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WATER STEWARDSHIP

Businesses are becoming more aware of their water consumption1 and usage and how this is having an effect not only on their bills but also on the environment, as well. Companies all over the world are now recognising just how important water is to their operations and how a lack of access to quality water or sufficient quantities of it can have an impact.

THE WATER AUDIT EXPERTS

One of the ways that companies can balance their water needs with those of the environment and the local community is through water stewardship, which will allow them to understand all the risks associated with water usage and consumption so they can bring in strategies to minimise these risks and ensure that their operations remain sustainable in the future.

WATER STEWARDSHIP EXPLAINED

Where businesses are concerned, stewardship should be viewed as a way of continuing to make improvements where water usage is concerned, while reducing the water-related impacts of their operations.

Stewardship is also a company’s commitment to managing shared water resources sustainably through collaboration with governments, local communities, other businesses and non-government organisations. Becoming aware of the debates around water in terms of the economy and the environment is the first step towards stewardship, and companies will also need to gain a deeper understanding of their own individual water footprint2 and what dependencies they have on the resource right across their entire supply chain. Action within the company can then be taken to address the issue, putting plans and targets in place to ensure more sustainable use of water.

There are very real business benefits associated with water stewardship, including:

good water quality, effective water governance

that ensures all water users receive a fair allocation,

and sustainable water balance.

In addition, business risks related to water will be reduced through the minimising of economic, environmental and social impacts.

Companies will also be able to prepare themselves properly for periods of drought, as well as making cost savings associated with water efficiency.

PRIVATE SECTOR WATER MANAGEMENT

We need water to grow food, for manufacturing, for drinking water, for the generation of power… and, as such, it’s an essential resource to the running of any business, no matter what industry said business is in. Unfortunately, while it’s an essential resource it is also a limited one, and many places around the world are now experiencing issues related to water stress and scarcity.

As demand for water increases, coupled with climate change and global warming, communities will feel the impact of water shortages – so prioritising the sustainable usage of water is a must.

So what can the private sector do to help safeguard this resource for future generations and ensure that it can continue to do business as usual?

Introducing smart meters on your site is an essential step towards being more responsible with water use across industry. Automated meter reading works by continuously monitor water usage across your site3, allowing issues to be identified quickly and water-saving solutions adjusted as appropriate and in line with a business’s evolving needs. Setting a strategic framework in place is also key, introducing new targets and metrics to help you track progress and performance so you can drive improvements where water risks are concerned.

Companies in some industries could also use wastewater more effectively4, such as those in the agriculture sector. Effluent could be treated in such a way so as to allow it to be reused for irrigation, for example.

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1. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/waterconsumption-analysis/ 2. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/waterfootprint/ 3. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/amr/ 4. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/wastewatermanagement/ Call our expert consultancy team today on 0845 658 0948