News
John Lewis Applies For Self-Supply Licence.
Retailer John Lewis has become the first retailer in the UK to apply Ofwat for a water and sewerage self-supply licence, with Waitrose & Partners sites also included as an associated company if the licence is granted.
The company wants deliver water cost and consumption savings to its sites, part of its approach to reduce its environmental impact by sourcing and selling products with integrity.
John Lewis itself has succeeded in achieving a reduction in carbon intensity by 70 per cent against a 2010 baseline, setting itself further targets where packaging, waste, emissions reductions and recycling and reuse are concerned.
Its major focus now is water efficiency, with its goals aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the UK’s 2050 emissions targets.
In its annual market report, Ofwat – which granted five new self-supply licences in the second year of the open water market – observed: “Larger customers who have elected to become self-supply retailers have particularly demonstrated the scope for business customers to achieve water savings.
“Self-suppliers overall continue to report advantages of this type of business model, including price savings, better control of their data, and the ability to achieve water efficiency savings.”
This news may well be the inspiration you need as a business to consider switching water supplier. If you’re unhappy with the service you’re receiving from your current supplier, it could certainly be worth looking to see what benefits you may find elsewhere.
The water retail market in England opened back in April 2017, giving the majority of the businesses in the country the power to choose their own water supplier for the first time.
There are all sorts of reasons why you might consider switching now, from making cost savings thanks to better tariffs with a different supplier to enjoying a better service, more accurate billing and quicker responses to queries.
Depending on what industry you’re in, you may well find a supplier that specialises in services specific to your particular niche or operational needs.
However, you might well find it difficult to navigate the landscape of choosing your own supplier, since you most likely won’t have done it before. If you are struggling to work out which supplier would suit your needs best, get in touch with us here at H2O Building Services today to find out how we can help.
We’ll carry out a water audit of your site to find out what your current usage is like and compare this with your present billing to identify areas where you could drive down costs and increase your water efficiency. We can also review your current supplier’s record on the likes of billing accuracy and maintenance services.