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Public Sector Scotland hemorrhaging £millions due to lost savings and overcharging on water bills.

Since the water industry in Scotland opened its doors to competition many years ago Public Sector Scotland  have been literally hemorrhaging £millions on incorrect charges and losing out on potential savings and reductions on water bills due to poor administration of water supply contracts, lack of water consultancy expertise and zero control.

Even now a massive Public Sector Scotland water contract went out to tender to the retail water suppliers worth a reputed £350 million over the contract term, but why did the public sector procurement take this route ? lack of knowledge and expertise prior to this water supply contract that was awarded to an English Water supplier Anglian Water.

It seems a very large number of water flow data loggers were fitted to many public sector sites around 3,000 according to information I received.

Water flow data loggers are an essential tool for producing a visual flow profile of water use over time and is particularly invaluable in identifying water losses and water leaks where water is passing through the water meter when the site is unoccupied or in the early hours of the morning, if continual flow is recorded this is known as the base load. In the hands of a water audit expert this data is invaluable in reducing water costs, yet since these data loggers were installed many years ago the valuable water flow data has never been expertly used! Resulting in a massive lost water saving opportunity and substantially higher water bills as a result, all down to poor contract administration, lack of applied knowledge and expertise.

The water supply contract expired with Scottish Water Business Stream and the £350 million water supply contract was won by Anglian Water on a retail contract and again Public Sector Scotland will not be maximising the potential water savings and refunds as there was and still is a massive water cost reduction opportunity. Maximising potential reductions in water costs is very unlikely to happen as the appointed water supplier Anglian Water will not give advice in certain keys areas for example, Water Self-supply.

A large portion of the public sector estate should commission a water self-supply feasibility report and should not sign up to the appointed water supplier until they have evaluated water self-supply.

In my expert opinion a great many public sector organisations would financially benefit from water self-supply as at the moment they are paying needlessly a water retail margin when in fact they could cut out the retail margin and procure their water supply contract via the water self-supply route and save £millions on procurement alone.

I bet neither the Scottish Public Sector procurement or any of the water retailers pitching for the recently let water supply contract even mentioned water self-supply.

The Public Sector organisations in Scotland will not maximise savings and refunds on their water bills until they take impartial, independent expert advice.

The Public Sector Scotland deserves more.

Want to know more about cutting out the water retail margin and procuring your water supply contracts direct from the wholesaler ? call the “Water Audit Experts” at H20 Building Services on 01924 387 873 or email nicky.mann@h2obuildingservices.co.uk