Water Management

WHO ARE THE WATER INDUSTRY REGULATORS AND WHAT DO THEY DO?

OFWAT – THE ECONOMIC WATER REGULATOR – WHAT IS OFWATS’ JOB?

In their own words “To make sure that your water company provides you with a good quality service at a fair price” HOW DOES OFWAT DO THIS?

In a number of ways, for example it tries to ensure water companies keep bills as low as reasonably possible. In assessing bills OFWAT recognises that water companies incur significant operational costs and must invest in the infrastructure to ensure it is in a fit state for future generations. WHAT IS OFWAT’S STRATEGY?

OFWAT sets out three strategic goals 1. To transform water companies performance for customers 2. To drive water companies to meet long term challenges 3. For water companies to serve a wider public purpose, delivering more for customers, society and the environment

THE DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE – WHAT IS THE JOB OF THE DWI?

The Drinking Water Inspectorate or (DWI) is a section of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) its a role to ensure our water is fit to drink.

The DWI provides independent scrutiny of water companies activities, it publishes statistics on the water quality and enforces UK water quality legislation.

THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY – WHAT IS THE JOB OF THE E.A?

The Environment Agency (E.A) is an executive none departmental public body responsible to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Its main aim is environmental protection.

Water companies have a key part to play in achieving that goal.

The interaction between the E.A and water companies covers many areas including: –1. Water resource management and drought planning. 2. Water abstraction licensing 3. Disposal of sludge from waste water treatment processes. 4. Monitoring of bathing beaches and bathing water quality.

THE CONSUMER COUNCIL FOR WATER – WHAT IS THE JOB OF CCW ?

The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) is another departmental body.

It is not an official regulator but does have a role representing domestic and none domestic customers interests.

Helping customers with complaints and offers impartial advice on water issues.

Importantly CCW is independent from the water companies and not regulated to OFWAT or any other regula-tory body.

It also have no powers of enforcement.

SCOTLAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland things work in a slightly different way. The aims are similar with different bodies involved.

The market structure and water company ownership in Scotland is different from those in England and Wales .

The main water company is Scottish Water which is a public corporation directly accountable to the Scottish Parliament.

It has production, treatment and delivery responsibilities for water across the whole country.

Domestic customers are billed direct and business customers have a competitive market as the none domes-tic market was deregulated. In fact it was the first country in the world to deregulate its water market in 2008 allowing none domestic customers to switch water supplier to various licensed providers. Thus reducing their water bills in a competitive market so customers can choose their water supplier.

The main supplier in Scotland was Business Stream which is actually part of the Scottish Water group but is a legally separate company.

The economic regulator for the Scottish water market is the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS).

The bodies that work along side WICS are – • The Drinking Water Quality Regulator • The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) • Consumer Futures which represents consumer interests • The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman who investigates complaints (SPSO)

In Northern Ireland there is just one water company – Northern Ireland Water but several regulators: • The Utility Regulator which performs the role of economic regulator • The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) which looks after environmental issues • The Drinking Water Inspectorate who is responsible for regulating drinking water quality. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk

WITH NO SIGN THAT THE SQUEEZE ON GOVERNMENT SPENDING WILL BE RELAXED ANY TIME SOON, PUBLIC SECTOR FINANCES WILL CONTINUE TO BE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.

THE WATER AUDIT EXPERTS

The challenge laid down to public sector bodies is simply this – find more efficient, cost-effective ways to spend taxpayers’ money, while maintaining service levels. Waste is simply no longer an option, from procurement through to utilities.

H2O Building Services helps public sector bodies reduce unnecessary costs by cutting their water bills. By lowering water usage, improving efficiency and monitoring bills for overcharging, we save organisations an average of 30% on their water costs. When you are looking for ways to keep a lid on budgets, that is not to be sniffed at.

CUTTING WATER COSTS

Our professional consultancy team can draw on more than 30 years’ experience1 in the water industry. We understand water supply and sewerage services inside out and we specialise in managing costs across large, complex organisations. We offer a complete end-to-end service for water cost reduction, from checking your bills are accurate and fair through to installing on-premise systems which will help save you money over time. We have earned a strong reputation for outstanding service and achieving impressive results for public sector clients. Read about how we saved Haringey Council £40,0002 after carrying out a full audit of water usage across all of its premises. Or find out how we saved HM Prison Service £57,0003 after identifying a water leak at HM Pankhurst, and also by cutting sewage charges for laundry effluent.

GETTING STARTED

In the first instance, we will ask a public sector client to supply water billing records for all of its properties, stretching back several years if possible. We understand that public sector organisations are large and may operate a high number of premises. But this is a crucial step which can straight away help us identify whether charges look right for the type and use of the property. After carrying out a thorough analysis of billing records, we will audit water use4 , including carrying out site visits where we think it necessary. The water audit will form the basis of all recommendations we make for cutting water costs, from reducing water use to seeking refunds for overcharging, tackling leaks and waste to ongoing monitoring. WATER BILL REFUNDS

If we spot mistakes in the water bills for any of your properties, we will advise whether they have led to you being overcharged. If you have paid too much for your water services, our experienced consultants will seek a refund on your behalf from your water supplier. ONGOING MONITORING

We understand that reducing costs is not a one-off exercise, but part and parcel of daily life for public sector organisations. We can help you keep on top of your water billing long term, making sure you are never charged more than you should be and keeping your water usage in check.

REDUCING WATER WASTE

One of the biggest causes of inflated costs on water bills is waste. If, for example, you have one or more leaks at any of your properties, you will be charged for that excess water which you never use. In addition, you could be incurring extra costs for water drainage, not to mention potentially massive bills for water damage repairs. We offer full site surveys as part of our consultancy service, including water leak detection5. If we identify a problem, we will first compile a full report, outlining the size of the leak, the potential damage it might be causing, and the impact on your bills. We will then submit a cost proposal for repairs, aiming to achieve a robust, quality solution in the most cost-effective and least disruptive way possible.

We can also recommend installations aimed at improving water efficiency6 at your premises.

These include things like Flow-Tec P.I.R urinal flush controls, Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs) and Aeroflow low flow showers. We can also advise on water recycling7 for using waste water in things like lavatory systems. Again, all proposals are fully costed, and we will also include an expected payback period, usually achieving an average of between 9 and 12 months. Through our water bill validation8 , we will check each bill before your receive it, vetting it against actual usage and resolving any discrepancies with your supplier before it comes to authorising payment.

We also offer Advanced Meter

Reading (AMR)9

a highly sophisticated water tracking technology, which can monitor water flow on an hourly basis. Any unusual spikes in water usage automatically trigger an alert, which we will pick up and respond to straight away.

1. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/about-us/ 2. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/case-studies/haringey-council/ 3. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/case-studies/hm-prison/ 4. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/water-audits/ 5. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/water-leak-detection/ 6. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/saving-water/ 7. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/water-recycling/ 8. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/bill-validation/ 9. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/our-services/amr/ Call a your public sector water experts now on 0845 658 0948 Alternatively, you can email us at info@h2obuildingservices.co.uk

WHAT IS THE OPEN WATER MARKET AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

Under the Open Water Market, all eligible businesses within England and Scotland – as well as third sector charities and the public sector – can now choose their own providers who supply water, wastewater and trade effluent services to their workplace. But, what exactly does this mean for your business? Read on to find out exactly what this change means for you and your business and why it might just pay to shop around for a new supplier.

THE OPEN WATER MARKET IN A NUTSHELL

The Open Water Market is a market deregulation whereby many businesses are now entirely free to shop around for which company they want to supply their water. This move was introduced in Scotland in 2008, and by 2017 it had been launched in England also.

The effect of its introduction could mean a sizable saving for you and your business and, not to mention, some perks you may not have previously considered.

THE BENEFITS OF THE OPEN WATER MARKET

First and foremostly, the primary benefit of the Open Water Market is that you are likely to save much more money on your bills and charges - thanks to the increase in competition amongst water suppliers.

Now businesses can switch providers, and many suppliers are conveniently offering cheaper rates and tariffs. All in a bid to lure and/ or retain business customers.

Water suppliers are also providing more access to businesses to allow them to become increasingly water-efficient. This means, longterm, bills should decrease.

Water providers are also clambering to provide increasingly superior customer service due to this new regulation – after all, who wants to remain with a company that insists you speak to generic internet A.I. bots when you really require a human to understand your complex issue?

TO SWITCH OR NOT TO SWITCH WATER SUPPLIERS?

With the introduction of the Open Water Market, businesses have never had so much choice regarding who supplies their water.

So, where to start with that loaded question?

Firstly, it’s a good idea to contact your water supplier and ask them if there’s a better deal you could be getting. Since the introduction of the Open Water Market, business owners are finding that their suppliers are often more than happy to re-organise company contracts due to the threat of their clients jumping-ship to a new supplier.

If contacting your current supplier doesn’t yield positive results, you may find it’s time to switch your business water supplier to keep costs down.

Costs which could be utilised much more effectively within your business. THE IMPACT OF THE OPEN WATER MARKET ON YOUR BUSINESS

There’s no denying that the introduction of the Open Water Market has been a breath of fresh air and opportunities for many businesses within England and Scotland.

This change brings a new onus on businesses to ensure they are getting the value for money that they need and deserve.

So, if your business isn’t getting the treatment it deserves from your water supplier, don’t be afraid to take the plunge and switch providers.

Because, sometimes, the grass really is greener on the other side. www.castlewater.co.uk

INNOVATION ENABLES ANALOGUE WATER METERS TO BE CONVERTED EASILY TO SMART METERS IN A COST-EFFECTIVE WAY

Deer Technology has launched the LimpetReader which enables analogue water meters to be converted to smart meters, simply and cost-effectively. This ingenious device offers substantial benefits to water wholesalers, water retailers, asset managers and consumers.

Within the UK nonhousehold water market there are circa 1 million dumb meters that could be easily converted to smart meters using Deer Technology’s patented LimpetReader system.

Analogue meters are converted by retrofitting a compact, batterypowered LimpetReader above the meter dial using optical adhesive bonds. Installation typically takes 15 minutes or less, with no need to interrupt the supply. A clear optical path is always maintained between the optical reader and meter. The waterproof adhesive bond ensures the readings can be taken even if the meter is submerged in water or mud. If necessary, the meter can still be read manually without disturbing the LimpetReader.

To ensure the LimpetReader’s overall envelope is extremely compact, the opto-electronic device uses multiple micro-cameras to capture date- and time-stamped images of the meter’s register. These are sent automatically to Deer Technology’s secure servers using GSM technology over any of the UK’s established mobile phone networks. Once on the server, the individual images are stitched together with image processing software to create a single, distortion-free register image. This is converted to a numerical value for the water consumption.

The LimpetReader is already in use with several customers across the UK and is supplying data that is helping customers to better manage water consumption, improve their environmental credentials and reduce costs. Work is also underway to secure full regulatory approval for the device and this is expected to be completed soon.

From the water wholesaler’s or retailer’s perspective, the LimpetReader offers multiple benefits. Most significantly, the availability of accurate billing information without the need to take visual reads, which is often expensive and could be difficult to undertake. In addition, there are environmental benefits associated with not having to use vehicles to visit meters, and health and safety is improved through the elimination of site visits. LimpetReaders also put an end to fines for failing to read meters, and highly detailed water consumption

data is always available. Customer satisfaction and retention are improved because there is no need to rely on estimates and billing is accurate. Customers benefit from having access to their meter reading so they can validate the bills they receive and identify any billing errors based on near real-time data and an image of the actual meter reading not estimates. They also have better visibility of consumption data, which can be used to identify areas of waste and give an early warning of leaks. Building owners can implement LimpetReader technology for sub-metering and billing tenants on a daily basis if desired.

Deer Technology’s comprehensive service includes consulting with customers - who could be water wholesalers, water retailers, asset managers or consumers - to identify the optimum overall solution to the problem of meter reads and data management. The company then installs the LimpetReaders and provides a data service for reporting, visualisation and exporting data to the customer’s databases as required.

The National Trust, an early adopter, said: “The LimpetReader is a great solution and gives us accurate meter reads and, importantly, we are only paying for what we use.”

For more information about Deer Technology’s LimpetReader for converting analogue water meters to smart meters, go to www.deertechnology.com or email hello@deertechnology.com.