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Why Businesses Need To Plan For Water Resilience All Year Round
Drought is often treated as a temporary emergency. Rainfall decreases, water restrictions are introduced and businesses are encouraged to reduce consumption. However, a recent report from The Landscaper suggests that this approach may no longer be sufficient.
The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) is calling for the Government to move away from reactive drought management and establish a permanent, year-round approach to water resilience.
Although the HTA represents the environmental horticulture sector, its concerns are relevant to businesses across the UK. Water shortages, rising demand and changing weather patterns can affect many different industries.
Preparing for these pressures requires more than responding when restrictions are announced. It means understanding water use and reducing avoidable waste before a crisis develops.
Drought can create serious business risks
The HTA’s research found that professional growers and garden centres account for less than 0.2 per cent of the UK’s total water consumption.
Despite this relatively small share, 88 per cent of businesses surveyed said that restrictions on mains or abstracted water could seriously harm or threaten the survival of their business.
This illustrates an important point: a business may use comparatively little water overall but still rely on a consistent supply to maintain its operations.
For example, water may be essential for production, cleaning, cooling, sanitation, irrigation or maintaining stock. If access becomes restricted, the impact can be disproportionate to the organisation’s total consumption.
For this reason, businesses should consider water as part of their wider operational resilience and business continuity planning.
Understand how much water your business actually uses
A practical water resilience strategy starts with reliable information. Many organisations know how much water they use in total, but have less insight into where that water goes.
A bill may show overall consumption without identifying which buildings, departments, processes or pieces of equipment account for the highest demand.
Water consumption analysis can help provide a more detailed picture. By examining usage over time, businesses can identify patterns, compare different sites and investigate unusual changes.
For example, increased consumption outside normal operating hours could indicate a leak or equipment fault. Automated Meter Reading (AMR) and water flow data logging can provide more frequent information.
This helps businesses monitor consumption rather than relying solely on occasional meter readings, and allows potential problems to be investigated earlier and makes it easier to assess whether efficiency measures are working.
Reduce waste before looking for additional supply
The HTA is calling for greater investment in water storage, recycling and efficient irrigation. Its research also found that the proportion of growers using alternative sources, such as rainwater or greywater recycling, has increased significantly since 2020.
For businesses in other sectors, the same principle applies: improving efficiency should be considered alongside securing additional supplies. Before investing in new infrastructure, organisations should establish whether they are using more water than necessary.
A commercial water audit can identify opportunities to:
- Reduce unnecessary consumption
- Improve the efficiency of water-using equipment
- Identify processes that could be changed
- Detect potential leaks
- Review cleaning and maintenance practices
- Consider water recycling or alternative sources
- Establish priorities for future investment
The outcome should be a practical plan based on the business’s actual circumstances rather than a generic list of water-saving measures.
Leaks can undermine resilience
A business may invest in efficient equipment and carefully manage its processes, but these efforts can be undermined by a leaking pipe, faulty fitting or damaged underground supply.
Leaks are particularly difficult to manage on large commercial sites, where pipework may extend across several buildings, yards or production areas. Problems can remain hidden for considerable periods if there is no regular monitoring.
Commercial water leak detection can help identify losses that are not immediately visible. Once the source has been located, prompt repairs can reduce waste, control costs and protect the reliability of the site’s water system.
Leak prevention should therefore be viewed as part of long-term resilience, not simply an emergency response.
Water storage and reuse can provide greater flexibility
The HTA’s report highlights the barriers businesses can face when trying to invest in reservoirs and other on-site storage. Cost, available space and planning requirements can all affect whether a project is viable.
For some organisations, storing water on-site or investigating alternative water sources may provide greater flexibility during dry periods. Rainwater harvesting can be suitable for applications that do not require drinking-quality water.
Water recycling may also be appropriate for certain industrial or commercial processes, depending on the type of wastewater produced and the intended reuse.
These options require careful assessment. Storage capacity, treatment requirements, maintenance, environmental considerations and the quality of water needed for each application must all be considered.
A water strategy can help businesses assess these factors and decide whether an alternative source is likely to offer practical benefits.
Resilience requires year-round planning
The HTA’s central argument is that drought should not be treated as an isolated event. Instead, businesses and policymakers should prepare for future water needs throughout the year.
For commercial organisations, this could mean reviewing water performance regularly rather than only during periods of dry weather.
Useful actions might include:
- Reviewing water bills and checking for inaccuracies.
- Monitoring consumption across individual sites or operational areas.
- Investigating unexpected increases in demand.
- Arranging regular checks for leaks and inefficient equipment.
- Assessing the potential for recycling or rainwater harvesting.
- Setting realistic water reduction targets.
- Including water availability in business continuity planning.
- Updating the organisation’s water strategy as circumstances change.
This approach can help businesses make informed decisions before restrictions or supply problems create pressure.
Making water management part of business planning
The HTA’s call for a more coordinated, long-term approach reflects a wider change in how water resilience is understood. Businesses cannot control rainfall, drought conditions or national infrastructure decisions, but they can improve their own preparedness.
Reducing waste, monitoring consumption and maintaining water systems can help control costs while making operations less vulnerable to future disruption.