News
Agriculture Industry Succeeds In Cutting Water Pollution
The agriculture industry has succeeded in reducing the number of water pollution incidents in 2018/2019, with 59 cases seen – the only sector to create fewer incidents than the year before.
Data from the Environment Agency shows that for the final quarter of last year, the sector was responsible for six per cent fewer incidents than the previous 12 months, although there was a 23 per cent hike in overall pollution cases industry-wide, Farmers Weekly reports.
The greatest increase was seen in illegal waste management, which saw a 59 per cent increase with 78 reported incidents.
A statement from the Environment Agency read: “Whilst illegal waste sites continue to be an issue in many areas, specific parts of the country have also seen a rise in illegal dumping. We continue to tackle waste crime as a corporate priority and have had significant additional government funding to explore new opportunities to prevent and disrupt waste crime.”
This comes after the World Wide Fund for Nature warned that rivers around the UK are being used as open sewers. Dave Tickner, chief freshwater adviser with the organisation, explained that we need our rivers for people, wildlife and the economy, and with Brexit just a few weeks away, it’s now imperative that the government brings in legislation that protects and restores our waterways.
From a business perspective, there is much you can do to boost your green credentials where our water supplies are concerned, ensuring that they’re protected for future generations.
You could, for example, get in touch with water conservation consultants who can advise you on strategies such as rainwater harvesting, which involves collecting and storing rainwater that falls on your roof area. This can then be filtered and reused instead of mains water for the likes of toilet flushing, vehicle washing and more.
With climate change and the growing population putting increasing demand on our water supplies, there’s no better time like the present to consider how you could use your water more effectively and efficiently – which will ultimately save you money in the long run as well.
There are other ways in which you can save water as a business, such as water leak detection and repair, water auditing and water monitoring. Consider installing remote monitoring equipment on site that will track your water flow each hour for ten years in order to maximise efficiency and spot any leaks as soon as they occur.
This means that you can repair problems when they appear so you’re not wasting any precious water and so that your site won’t sustain any water damage, which can prove very costly indeed to sort out.
If you’d like to find out any more about any of the above and how we here at H2o Building Services could start saving you money on your water bills, get in touch with us today.