One year on from the launch of the Waterwise Water Efficiency Strategy for the UK in June 2017, the project, which has led to a major policy shift supporting greater demand management, continues to go from strength to strength.
Waterwise held a reception in London yesterday to mark the publication of their report Waterwise Water Efficiency Strategy 1 year on - how is the UK doing?
The report sets out the work of the Water Efficiency Strategy Steering Group to date in delivering the Strategy’s vision, which includes personal water consumption targets for England.
Attendees from across and beyond the water sector gathered together to celebrate the achievements from the past year and look ahead to the next steps.
Speakers at the event included Rachel Fletcher, Chief Executive at Ofwat, Stephen Bird , MD at South West Water, Eifiona Williams Welsh Government and Andy Hughes CEO at water business retailer Water Plus.
Jean Spencer, outgoing Chair of the Strategy Steering Group, also received the 2018 ICE Chris Binnie Sustainable Water Management Award on behalf of the Group. Daniel Johns, previously with the Committee on Climate Change, is joining as the new Chair.
The event, sponsored by South West Water, marked a year of ambition and progress on water efficiency since the launch of the Water Efficiency Strategy for the UK.
The Strategy sets out a blueprint to deliver a vision of a UK in which all people, homes and businesses are water-efficient, and where water is used wisely every day.
Project has brought about major policy shift supporting greater demand management
The major project has not only influenced governments and water companies to high ambition on water efficiency in the UK, to deliver resilient and sustainable water supply system but has also led to a major policy shift, supporting greater demand management, including support for personal water consumption targets for England.
All of the UK wholesale water companies are now in the Waterwise family, along with two water retailers and the Environment Agency.
The new report sets out achievements against the Strategy in Year 1 - and priorities for Year 2.
Nicci Russell, Managing Director of Waterwise, said:
“Water companies, government, regulators and other stakeholders have worked closely with us in delivering against the Strategy, and it’s great to see the level of ambition currently in the sector. But as ever, we’d like to see even more - believing that water efficiency can help deliver across water companies’ strategic promises to customers, not just resilience of services and environmental improvement.”
“We’re also thrilled that the Strategy and its Steering Group have recently won two prestigious awards - the 2018 Institute for Civil Engineers Chris Binnie Award in Sustainable Water Management and the International Water Association’s Project Innovation Award (taking bronze out of 160 entries from 45 countries).”
Analysis to date by Waterwise shows activities planned by the water companies to achieve Per Capita Consumption (PCC) reductions include the following:
- Metering - both smart and non
- Home water efficiency checks and combining water and energy efficiency checks
- Digital engagement - online portal
- Working with developers - incentives, implementing and trialling rainwater harvesting
- Working with water retailers
- Catchment management
- Education - primary school visits
- Toilet rebates and incentives for individuals, communities, water retailers
- Retrofits including fixing leaky loos
- Campaigns
Barriers - behaviour change not straightforward - no guarantee of success
Barriers cited by water companies to reducing PCC include:
- Behaviour change not straightforward - no guarantee of success
- Changes required to legislation and regulation
- Water label for products not mandatory
- Other sectors - building regulations, fittings and product standards need to be addressed
- Negative media stories including leakage and CEO pay
- Not enough endorsement from government
- Engaging with customers that are not part of water efficiency programmes
- Lack of understanding within companies in other teams
The report sets out the priorities for work in Year 2 on progressing the Strategy. Waterwise is prioritising the delivery of a national water efficiency engagement programme in PR19 which will be delivered through the ‘Waterwise - How and Why?’ programme for long-term customer engagement on water efficiency.
The organisation is also currently finalising the publication of a best practice guide on multichannel and long lasting behaviour change with a view to launching this in early 2019.
Regular updates on the Strategy and projects are available via the Waterwise website and through the monthly newsletter.
Click here to download the report
Click here to visit the Waterwise website
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