“UK leisure businesses are missing opportunities to reduce water consumption and costs.”
According to Jon Wadley, Minimise Water’s newly appointed Water Management Director, this is the result of the typically short term and narrow approach that many organisations have applied to water procurement, use and waste.
To help the leisure sector manage their water resources more efficiently by developing bespoke systems that drive down the cost of operation, Minimise Water has launched a new Integrated Water Management service.
This new approach provides businesses with a full, unbiased water management service from a single source. The service incorporates a full water audit, prioritised recommendations, regulation, planning and legislation support, installation, monitoring and validation. Assistance with funding and tax incentive schemes can also be provided.
The service is deliberately broad, recognising the wide impact of water on industrial and commercial organisations. It will include, but is not limited to: compliance, alternative water sources, recycling and reuse, heat and energy capture and waste minimisation.
“Most businesses focus on a single aspect of water management, such as compliance and treatment. They tick the essential, regulatory boxes and then turn their attention to other aspects of plant management.
“Combined with an absence of industry innovation and a laissez faire approach from government, this has meant that water has been something of a forgotten utility. Especially in terms of efficiencies. But that’s about to change,” said Jon.
While water scarcity has long been flagged as an impending environmental problem for the UK, especially in the drought-prone and overstretched south east, it has not gained the same traction as, for example, climate change or energy shortages.
The result is that few businesses have prioritised infrastructure upgrades, with many still employing outdated and inefficient water management systems.
“This negatively impacts operational costs and is depleting UK water reserves at a faster rate than is necessary,” said Jon.
“The rising cost of commercial water, however, is likely to drive change, making water efficiency solutions more attractive. With commercial water supply costs projected to increase by 30% over the next decade, many more businesses are recognising the financial benefits associated with improved water performance.”
For many, though, it’s difficult to know where to start. Recognising this, Minimise Water has brought consultancy, delivery and validation under one roof, taking responsibility for every aspect of a business’ water actions and processes.
“While a water consultant will provide a valuable infrastructure and efficiency audit, they rarely take responsibility for delivery and results. By contrast, solutions providers will deliver change and take responsibility for the results achieved, but cannot provide objective, technology-neutral advice.
“Our integrated service will make it easier for businesses to both kick start and fully deliver the water efficiency process,” said Jon.
Key areas recommended for early review are industrial water recycling, said by Jon to be a “real missed opportunity with most only meeting the lowest regulatory requirements” and Reverse Osmosis water treatment where “escalating water costs and improved technologies are making these systems increasingly viable”.
The service, however, recognises that plants will have differing requirements based on location, size, use and progress to date.
“Our holistic approach to water use often unearths savings in areas that clients had not previously considered, many with extremely attractive payback periods,” said Jon Wadley.
Business benefits include reduced direct costs and associated energy savings; minimised consumption; improved sustainability; carbon savings; contribution towards CSR and water compliance objectives; and delivery of BREAM requirements for new builds.
Minimise Water is part of the Minimise Group of sustainability companies. Minimise Group helps organisations become more sustainable, increase profitability and meet environmental, corporate and legislative targets. The Group’s integrated range of technologies, products and services includes energy efficiency, energy generation, water management, sustainability consulting and project financing.