This week, we are supporting Waterwise’s Water Saving Week.

Although the campaign focuses on how individuals can save water at home, we believe organisations should be water wise too – especially as 30% of the water used in England is by business customers.

As market operator of the business water market, we’re committed to providing independent data insight to enable wholesalers and retailers to work more collaboratively to support customers in making informed decisions around their water usage.

In support of today’s theme on ‘leaky loos’, we are highlighting schools that have been identified as one of the worst culprits for this.

Analysis from smart water meters in one region indicates that 30% of business water usage is what we call continuous flow, which can be a sign of water wastage—often attributed to leaky urinals and toilets.

According to our analysis, 45% of schools use more than the average litres per pupil. If these 8,490 overconsuming schools reduced their per pupil average to the average benchmark, they could save 24 mega litres/day of water.

Reporting a constantly running or leaking toilet can save a lot of water and money. We encourage schools to work with their retailers to identify ways to cut water waste and bills.

To support this, we have worked with the Department for Education to develop a dashboard showing schools how much water they use per pupil. Find out more here.

Take a look at our other key messages for Water Saving Week below:

Monday: Sharing is caring

In October 2023, we were awarded the Waterwise Checkmark for Offices. This award demonstrates our commitment to being a responsible business and implementing practices to drive water efficiency in the office and colleagues’ homes.

This Water Saving Week, we pledge to further embed our water-saving culture by having conversations and sharing water-saving tips with our team. If we all commit to making small changes, we can make a big difference!

Tuesday: Water habits

Did you know that around 90% of business customers in England – shops, offices, etc. - use a similar amount of water as domestic customers, and for the same purposes, such as running taps and flushing toilets?

A running tap wastes approximately six litres of water per minute, and a dripping tap can waste up to 5,500 litres per year.

We’re encouraging businesses to speak to their retailers about how they can be more water-efficient in their workplace practices.

Wednesday: Leaky loos

Did you know that analysis from smart water meters in one region indicates that 30% of non-household water usage is what we call continuous flow and can be a sign of water wastage – often attributed to leaky urinals and loos.

Reporting a constantly running or leaking toilet can save a lot of water and money.

Data shows that schools are one of the worst culprits for this. According to our analysis, 45% of schools use more than the average litres per pupil average. If these 8,490 over-consuming schools reduced their per pupil average to the benchmark they could save 24 mega litres/day of water.

Schools can work with their retailers to identify ways to cut water wastage and their bills.

Find out more about school water consumption here: https://mosl.co.uk/chart/chartitems/school-benchmark-dashboard

Thursday: Kitchen habits

Have you ever thought about how much water restaurants use in their kitchens?

From operating dishwashers to preparing food and cleaning – it’s easy to see how restaurants can use (and sometimes waste) water.

Simple changes such as upgrading equipment to more water-efficient models, building water-efficient practices in the workplace and staff training can all help.

The first step though is for them to understand their water usage. No matter the size, restaurants can work with water retailers to better understand their water usage and reduce it – saving precious water and money.

Friday: Bathroom habits

Today for the final day of Water Saving Week we are talking bathrooms in the hospitality sector.

According to the Environment Agency, hotels could decrease the amount of water consumed per guest per night by up to 50%. By taking steps to save water, hotels and other hospitality institutions can save money and play their part in protecting our environment.

We're encouraging hotels to work with their retailers to develop water management plans and reduce wasted water use. This can include facility improvements such as low-flow shower heads and toilets to encourage guests to be more mindful of their water use during their stay.

To find out more about water saving, visit our partners at Waterwise.