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Government To Bring In Appliance Restrictions To Limit Water Use?

Water management - H20 Building Services

 

We here in the UK could soon be faced with energy efficiency requirements on appliances like showers, dishwashers and washing machines to limit water usage and improve the country’s water management policies and procedures.

 

Oxford University’s professor Jim Hall, speaking during a briefing in London on the topic of water resilience, suggested that the government may have to introduce such measures, as well as the option of bringing in compulsory water meters for much of the country, the Daily Telegraph reports.

 

He explained that these meters would not necessarily be a requirement in wetter parts of England and Wales where fewer people live, but the move could have a big impact in places like London and the south-east.

 

Mr Hall was quoted by the news source as saying: “Regulators are reluctant and the government is cautious about imposing [compulsory water meters].

 

“In the current situation there are winners and losers. For example, people living in a large house with teenage children taking a lot of showers and using more than the average amount of water would end up paying more with a meter, but people using less than the average may end up paying less.”

 

It certainly seems as though some kind of action needs to be taken with regards to water use – and soon. The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology’s principal hydrologist Jamie Hannaford noted that climate change has been predicted to bring us drier summers and consequently lower river flows, with hotter temperatures resulting in more evaporation of water.

 

Water-saving devices such as low-flow showers and taps could make a big difference, however, he went on to say, but there are more low cost and higher benefit options out there that could be brought in first.

 

If you want to be proactive and start making changes at your place of business, you could begin with something like water flow data logging. You can continuously monitor water usage on site, which will allow you to identify any issues quickly and introduce water-saving solutions as required.

 

Smart meters can help you see how much water your property uses at hourly intervals by measuring water flow. If a sudden spike is noticed, you know you need to check to see if there’s a problem, like a water leak, allowing you to act quickly.

 

You can also see if data trends change over time, which would suggest that your business demands have changed. In this instance, we can adjust our efficiency strategies accordingly to help you keep your savings at the optimum level.

 

The benefits of this smart metering service include positive returns on your investment in just a few short weeks, making sure your bills are based on highly accurate meter readings, spotting leaks and other issues quickly, and reducing water consumption and maintaining savings over time. Get in touch with us to find out more.

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