Manifesto: Water efficiency

Water is a precious resource that often gets taken for granted. However, increasingly erratic weather patterns, combined with population growth and changes in lifestyle, have led to growing pressure being put on our water supplies. Waterwise, which campaigns on water efficiency in the UK, predicts that if action isn’t taken now, by 2050 there will be a shortfall of nearly 5 billion litres of water per day between the sustainable water supplies available and the expected demand.

Showers, toilets, baths and bathroom sinks consume more than two-thirds (68%) of household water, so installers are in the ultimate position to help highlight the importance of reducing consumption and to recommend water-efficient products to their customers.

“It’s safe to say that conscious consumption is rising up the list of priorities for both homeowners and housebuilders across the country,” says Daniel Lintell, sustainability manager at Triton Showers. “With more homeowners seeking money-saving aspects in their everyday lives, there is undoubtedly an increased focus on bathroom products with built-in water- and energy-saving elements, for instance those that allow consumers to shower with a cleaner conscience.”

Using water-efficient products isn’t just about saving water; water and energy usage are linked. It’s kinder to the environment to use efficient products, but it will save the end user money in terms of utility bills too.

“Around 18% of energy consumption in UK homes is spent heating water and about 12% of a typical gas-heated home’s heating bill is from the water for showers, baths and the hot water tap,” explains Yvonne Orgill, MD at the Unified Water Label Association (UWLA) and national President of the CIPHE. “The Unified Water Label (UWL) is influencing market transition, with recent statistics showing that shower heads in the highest red category are now all below 13 litres/min, when just 18 months ago this statistic would have been up to 18 litres/min. Within the tap category, 68% of taps registered fall within the lowest green band.”

According to research conducted by Triton, showering with an electric unit could save 29,000 litres of water per year compared to a mixer shower, creating the opportunity to save 300kg CO2e – the equivalent of driving 1,050 miles in a diesel hatchback.

“When using an electric shower, homeowners can save a considerable amount of water, all while reducing energy consumption, generating long-term financial savings in the process,” points out Lintell. “If just one per cent of UK households were to cut their daily shower time by one minute on average, this could save over 673 million litres of water, equivalent to 270 Olympic swimming pools. It could also save nearly 6.7 million kg CO2e, the equivalent of removing 3,950 cars from the UK’s roads.”

Leading the way

With forecasted rises in water bills causing concern for UK households, it’s vital that installers champion efficiency by using water-saving products and encouraging customers to cut their consumption.

“Installers promoting smart upgrades in the bathroom space, like electric showers, is crucial to both boosting efficiency in the home and providing cost-conscious end-users with the opportunity to reduce their energy bills,” says Lintell.

According to government research, over 60% of sales were influenced by the installer, placing them in a unique position to recommend products that deliver the savings consumers are looking for.

“With so many innovative products available that deliver superior performance and significant savings on both water and energy, it can be overwhelming for consumers to know which product is best for them,” says Orgill. “The UWL displays product performance, water usage, energy efficiency, and product and technical details. The QR code also gives access to more free advice and brochures. By promoting UWL products, installers can help inspire consumers to make small but significant changes to how they use water at home.”

The UWLA has released the first in a series of animated films to help installers communicate its Water Matters message to their customers. This short film addresses the ‘Why should I bother?’ mindset and shows installers how they can play a leading role in changing consumer behaviour and make a tangible difference to the sustainability agenda.

“The new government has an opportunity to support the industry and the UWL, enhancing its campaign to educate consumers to help them make more informed choices,” says Orgill. “The UWLA believes that there is no requirement for a mandatory water label [in addition to the UWL], which will create confusion and extra administration and expense for many manufacturers that operate across Europe and the UK. In addition, the cost of reinventing the wheel by developing new technical criteria, testing products and setting up a whole new scheme, when this already exists via the UWL, is not only expensive for the industry but a waste of public money.”

Neutral stance

Given the fragility of water supplies, the concept of water neutrality on new builds is a topic that has been under much discussion. Water-neutral building refers to buildings that don’t use more water than they can produce or replenish. This is achieved through using water-efficient fixtures and appliances, rainwater harvesting, and water treatment and reuse systems.

According to research from engineering consultancy Patrick Parsons, based on feedback from 100 senior executives of UK construction firms, in 2022 there was a poor focus on water efficiency, with 35% of respondents stating that only 5% to 15% of the developments their organisations were involved in were water neutral.

However, the research showed that the importance of water neutrality was set to increase significantly, with 44% expecting between 20% and 50% of new developments to be water neutral by 2025.

When asked about the role of sustainable drainage systems when it came to flood prevention, promoting biodiversity or natural habitats and preventing pollution, 46% of respondents said that they expected them to become even more important by 2025, with just 12% expecting them to decrease in importance.

CIPHE’s recommendations

• Water conservation must be made a priority by the government.

• Water companies need to increase resources dedicated to fixing leaks and reducing waste.

• A sustained campaign should be introduced to change consumer attitudes towards water conservation and increase knowledge of schemes such as the Unified Water Label.

• The government’s support and investment should be increased in environmentally targeted projects, including conservation and harvesting of water.

YOU SAY...

Valuable resource

“Easy access to water is something we should be grateful for and understand the privilege. However, it is difficult to control something which has been such an easy and reliable resource for so long.

“Correct installations in households can improve efficiency, so make sure you’re sizing correctly. If a product is efficient, we use that as a selling point with customers. Leaks will happen, but the reaction and resolution should be immediate.

“The government should promote the need to reduce water consumption more. I don’t see any promotion on it anywhere.”

Nick Cook, MCIPHE

Communication with customers

“Water loss is a big problem in the UK; virtually every week a local road is dug up by the water authority to repair a leak.

“Water efficiency is a more manageable issue for installers. We use water efficient products wherever possible, although we are limited by HTM compliance. However, most HTM spec appliances are relatively efficient anyway. Installers can assist consumers by recommending and fitting water-efficient products, followed by good communication and instruction on how to use and maintain their appliances. As cost is usually the main factor when deciding who gets the job, it can be difficult when competing with people who are prepared to supply the cheapest alternative in order to win the contract.

“The government could help by providing a site to which contractors and tradesmen can direct their customers for water efficiency guidelines and recommendations.”

Quinn Bytheway, MCIPHE

Useful resources

Find more information on Waterwise’s UK Water Efficiency Strategy here.

For Triton’s Energy & Water Savings Calculator personalised tips and the subsequent cost savings of changing showering routines, go here.

www.tritonshowers.co.uk/calculator/savings?

Find more information about the UWLA here.