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Spotlight On: Sustainable Water Management In The Westcountry

Sustainable water management in Devon and Cornwall has hit the spotlight this month (April), showcasing what innovative alternative water sources are being created to drive benefits for both the environment and business alike, in response to the difficulties posed by the 2022 drought and the risks presented by climate change, now and into the future.

It’s possible that by 2050, the amount of available water will have dropped by between ten and 15 per cent, with some rivers seeing between 50 and 80 per cent less water over the summer months.

As such, we all need to shoulder individual responsibilities to protect the environment and reduce water usage and consumption, as well as supporting greater efficiencies for use and reuse.

For businesses of all kinds, it will be necessary to change how water is abstracted in the future, as climate change alters the water in lakes, rivers and groundwater.

This, coupled with the pressures posed by a growing population and pollution sources such as agriculture, wastewater discharges and urban centres, is only serving to exacerbate water stress.

Improving water footprints

To tackle the issue head on, westcountry farmers are now moving away from river and groundwater abstraction to harvest their own rainwater, reducing their reliance on multiple abstraction licences for water-intensive practices such as growing brassica vegetables from seed.

One farm in Cornwall, which produces 15 per cent of England’s brassica seedlings, followed Environment Agency advice to invest in different ways to store rainwater for agricultural purposes, including collecting water from polytunnel roofs and building a clay-lined reservoir capable of storing 24 million litres of rainwater.

Elsewhere, the china clay sector has made significant inroads in water use reduction, achieving a 99.5 per cent drop in the amount of water taken from the River Fal.

Just five years ago, two billion litres of water was abstracted from the river by Imerys Minerals each year, with significant pumping costs associated with transporting wet clay through its pipe network.

Since then, the company has successfully saved significant carbon and electricity costs, while reducing water abstraction to approximately ten million litres annually.

Instead of using the river to keep its operations running, water is now taken from disused china clay pits, which have filled with both rain and groundwater. These water sources are also being used to supplement potable water resources, with groundwater taken and treated to keep the taps flowing.

The Environment Agency’s Clarissa Newell said: “Water is a precious resource, so it is great to see byproducts of Devon and Cornwall’s industrial past being turned into new water sources.

“Farmers are also investing in new ways of getting water which will pay them back. This is the way forward. The two biggest challenges for water are climate change and population growth. Only by finding smart ways to reduce our water demand can we protect the environment and, in turn, ourselves.”

Consider switching water supplier

There are many ways in which you can go about saving water at work, but one of the best ways to achieve the most significant savings is to switch water supplier.

The English retail water market opened up back in April 2017, giving businesses of all shapes and sizes the opportunity to choose their own water retailer for the first time ever, enabling them to find better deals, better customer service and value-added services.

Part of the switching process involves a water audit of your entire site, where water usage including volumes is compared with what you’re being charged for. The aim here is to reveal any discrepancies that might have resulted in you being overcharged, as well as highlighting areas of your business where you can reduce water usage and drive down costs.

As well as saving water over time, it’s possible that you could achieve a 30 per cent reduction in charges for both water supply and water disposal. Furthermore, it’s possible that you could be able to claim refunds for historical overcharging, with returns often seen ranging from £500 to £500,000.

The water audit itself involves in-depth analysis of your historical water bills going back at least 12 months in order to gain full visibility of your water expenditure and to help you regain control of this significant business overhead.

If you’d like to find out more about water audits and how you could benefit, get in touch with the H2o Building Service team today.