Coinciding with COP26, there was a wide range of projects, public education events and even TV series telling us how to improve our ‘lifestyle’ to minimise our impact on the environment. Although extreme weather has been highlighted, the general day to day use of water is rarely mentioned. In the UK water services are cheap. We never have true rationing of supply (occasional hose pipe bans just don’t count). For just a few pounds, domestic customers can have a tonne of high-quality drinking water on tap, the waste taken away and cleaned up. Although the financial cost of supplying and cleaning water is relatively low, the environmental impact isn’t – 40gm of carbon for each 1m3, whether that’s making it ready for consumption or to return it to the environment.
To reduce the environmental impact of water usage Defra set a target of reducing the average personal daily consumption from 143L to 110L by 2050.
‘Smart metering’ has been shown to have some impact on domestic consumption. However, aging infrastructure ensures that mandated metering, let alone ‘smart metering’ is not likely to be rolled out nationally in the short term.
If we can’t change mindset, change the supply
Our water companies are regulated to provide a minimum level of water, but in many areas due to network structure and gravity fed systems supply is much greater. So, run a hose for five minutes at the bottom of the hill, and your lawn will be greener that the gardener that does the same at the top. These ‘time controlled’ uses, e.g. teeth cleaning, taking a shower, running a tap to rise dishes could be standardised down if all households received the same acceptable, ‘standardised’ supply.
Defra’s target is a 33L reduction. Groundbreaker’s NRv2 LoFlo is a surprisingly simple method of working towards that target. Independent research carried out by WRc, showed a theoretical reduction of 2-4% of typical water usage. However, recent field trials by a major UK water company are showing reductions in excess of 37L per day (for one or two person households) – a saving in per capita consumption in excess of 10%.
NRv2 LoFlo modulates the level of flow entering customer premises – regardless of network pressure, meaning a reduction in the level of water used by customers when ‘variable use’ appliances are used. As the flow of water into the premises is limited, then the amount used by the customer is also limited – without a noticeable degradation of service.
No intervention or behavioural change on the part of the customer is required to produce reduction in per capital consumption.
A number of flow modulation ranges are available which enable the perfect balance between usage reduction and service provision. As an added benefit, the NRv2 LoFlo can also provide whole site protection against contamination by back flow.
The NRv2 LoFlo can be easily and simply retrofitted to any meter installation, or meter exchange when upgrading or remediating underground meter chambers. Thus, allowing Water Companies to manage demand with almost no impact on consumers and at minimal cost to the water undertakers – effectively a 3 in 1 solution.
Groundbreaker products are compliant with all Regulations and defined criteria and are used extensively across the whole of the UK water supply network – whether that be North of Scotland or the Channel Islands.
