News
Recommendations Made For UK Water Conservation
Given that this summer has been the hottest and driest the UK has experienced since the famed summer of 1976, which is remembered for long hot days and melting tarmac, the issue of water scarcity and stress has been in the news increasingly over the last few months.
And now the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME) has come out and said that action now needs to be taken in order to manage the country’s ever-decreasing water availability.
It has recommended setting up a forum of water-intensive industries, with the support of the National Infrastructure Committee and Water UK. A water infrastructure sustainability plan should be produced by this forum for industry in the country, combining drought and flood.
It’s essential that supply exceeds demand where water is concerned, which can be done not just by increasing production but also by mitigating use in the same way that the electricity grid has done, which has clients on interruptible contracts.
Not only that but the IME suggests that the government launches a public awareness campaign detailing the value of water and the consequences that our changing climate could lead to. This could include actions that both businesses and homeowners could consider taking so as to future-proof properties and help build water resilience. This would help to offset the impact of poor drainage that emerges when bouts of dry weather come to an end.
And the final recommendation was that major cities in the country start publishing research on what their infrastructure needs will be with regards to water, including grey water recycling in new-builds and sustainable urban drainage. This would reduce the burden on water treatment works during the summer, as well as helping to manage extreme rainfall events.
How businesses can go about conserving water.
Talking to water conservation consultants and getting some advice will really help businesses start doing more where saving water is concerned.
There are lots of ways you can go about reducing the amount of water you use and waste, and it might be that now’s the time to consider having a full site survey to find out if you have any water leaks. This survey will find leaks of any size so you can plan out repair work as necessary.
You could also benefit from installing remote monitoring equipment so you can track your water flow each hour for a decade. This will mean you can maximise efficiency and identify any leaks immediately, which could actually save you thousands of pounds into the bargain – as well as helping to save the planet.
And what about looking into water recycling and rainwater harvesting? The latter will see you collect and store the rainwater that is deposited on your roof area, with this water then filtered and reused instead of mains water. You can use this for toilet flushing, laundry, vehicle washing and more – so give us a call today if you’d like to find out how you can start doing this today.