Published date: 22 March 2022
World Water Week is the annual focal point for raising awareness and addressing the planet's water issues, with the week-long event organised and led by the Stockholm International Water Institute.
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Water is one of our most important natural resources but has historically not been high on the agenda for organisations. When you think about it, this seems crazy considering humans need it to survive and with an increasing population, more than ever before, we need to ensure we efficiently manage the way we use it so we can preserve it for future generations. Also, as we develop the land around us for either farming or building, we need to protect our natural ecosystems from further damage, especially endangered species. And if that’s not enough to convince you about why we need to get this higher up in the priority chain, conserving water can save you money and reduce your energy consumption from the equipment needed to pump water.
But things are changing. At the start of 2018, The UK Government released their 25-year Environment Plan which sets out environmental policies and aims, including the efficient use of water throughout society, such as reduction of water leaks by water companies and improving water efficiency by end-users.
Since 2019, our Energy and Environment team has also been making waves in this area. The first step for us was the big task of identifying who our suppliers are and how much we pay them, as outlined in our World Environment Day pledge become more water-efficient. With water suppliers set up regional and often split between clean water suppliers and wastewater processers, we have identified 25 different suppliers and 2,000 individual accounts. Thankfully the water market has been deregulated allowing us to consolidate our suppliers. You can read more about our plans in the NHSPS Green Plan.
At site level, we have introduced Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems to improve the natural soak away of water in concreted areas to prevent excessive surface run-off of rainwater into busy drainage and sewerage systems and subsequent flooding. Read more about this in our water-efficiency pledge.
We are also working alongside the Construction team to guide their decision making for water efficiency, to match or exceed current standards. At the same time, we will continue to increase awareness through training and providing information on what all of us can do to reduce water use in the buildings we work.
So how can you help? With over 3000 properties in our portfolio, we need to work collaboratively to make an impact. Here’s how:
Getting NHSPS to net zero
Want to learn more about our Greener NHS strategy and what it means for you? Watch the recording of the Green Plan launch webinar.