Despite the focus of the media on ‘sewage spills’ and the highlighting of Event Discharge Monitoring (EDM) reports, the longer-term environmental impact of the water deficit can have an equally damaging impact on the natural environment.
Combining the increasing Per Capital Consumption (PCC) with the UKs growing population gave rise to the 2022 announcement that, ‘by 2050 the UK water deficit is anticipated to be 4017 mega litres per day.’ The continued abstraction of water courses and groundwater to meet this demand affect local environments and some unique habitats.
To help combat this deficit all major water companies have been set PCC reduction targets in PR24. Reductions of up to 11% have been demanded, and history demonstrates that consumer behaviour change will not achieve these reductions.
Achieving PCC targets by building water efficient homes
OFWAT have recognised that water efficient homes are the key reduce consumption and have established basic standards for new build homes. In all new properties, developers will be given financial rewards for designing in basic water conservation measures, known as the Common Environmental Incentive including low volume dual flush toilets, low flow taps and showers and water efficient washing machines and dishwashers. For achieving these standards developers will receive a rebate of £172 per property.
Water companies have the option to introduce enhanced standards for additional incentives and United Utilities are amongst the first to embrace this. From April 2025 additional financial incentives will be available for the installation of a whole site flow regulator. These modulate the flow entering customer premises, so limiting the amount used by the customer. Without a degradation of service or any behavioural change, there is a ‘natural’ reduction in consumption. As these products are fitted to the main water supply, and not each individual outlet they remove any risk of consumer interference and ensure that minimum standards of water supply are maintained as specified within the Water Industry Act and Water Fittings Regulations.
Groundbreaker – the high reward solution
In any property with a meter Groundbreaker’s NRv2 LoFlo®can be installed between the water meter and manifold in any water meter enclosure. So, meeting the enhanced incentive standard, and receiving the additional rebate of £100 for an outlay of a maximum of £30.
Groundbreaker’s NRv2 LoFlo® has several flow modulation ranges are available which enable the perfect balance between usage reduction and service provision, and all meet or exceed United Utilities required flow rate. As an added benefit, the Groundbreaker’s LoFlo Check Valve systems have the unique property of providing whole site protection against contamination by back flow (up to fluid category 2) as standard, so protecting the water network.
For further details please contact Groundbreaker Systems at
www.groundbreaker.co.uk
