Why does water efficiency matter?

Water is essential to life and a precious resource that supports our livelihoods and our quality of living. In the UK pressures on water resources are growing and despite common pre-conceptions about our weather, we actually have much less water per head than Mediterranean countries such as Italy or Spain!

Furthermore because all our water needs to be treated before and after use, every drop we waste consumes energy and results in the release of greenhouse gases. In fact, if a family of four with a typical shower all reduced their showering time from 6 to 5 minutes every day, they could save around 160 Kg of CO2 emissions and 14,00 litres of water in a year.

Organisations need to be water-aware, both for the sake of our shared natural environment and on behalf of staff or shareholders. The water bill of a manufacturing firm can represent up to 1% of business turnover, whilst businesses in the retail, hospitality and service sectors are often wasting up to half of all the water they use.

Water is one of the UK's most precious resources, essential both for our way of life and for a healthy natural environment. Demand for water is growing, but water is a limited resource, and every drop we use means less water for wildlife. Climate change will only add to this pressure. It's vital that organisations and individuals alike take responsibility to use water wisely to protect our valuable natural environment, now and for future generations.