Toilets and urinals are not the first place you’d expect a nice surprise, but business owners in the West Midlands could lift the lid on unexpected cost savings this Christmas by reviewing their washroom water usage.
Envirowise estimates that combined savings of £90 million in a year could be made by companies in the West Midlands if a displacement device is fitted to toilets used by each office worker.*
To help realise these savings, the resource efficiency programme has launched two new, free factsheets on reducing water use in urinals and WCs – following World Toilet Day on the 19 November.
John Barraclough, Envirowise Regional Manager for the West Midlands, says: "We estimate that the UK's office workers use as much as 35 litres of water every day, 86% of which is a direct result of flushing toilets.
The two new factsheets - available at the Envirowise water page - provide simple steps that any local company can be take to reduce water use, as well as listing a range of water saving devices to help businesses make further efficiencies.
Any action business owners or facilities managers can take to cut water wastage, whether that is by simply fitting a displacement device or going further to invest in low flush technology, will help lower our collective environmental impact in the year ahead."
Urinals operating without flush controls can use up to half of a company's 'domestic' water use. But by fitting Passive Infrared Sensors (PIR) at a cost of around £350, a company with 100 male employees could save £3,800 each year in water and sewerage costs – a payback period of just five weeks.
Similarly, an office of 100 staff with traditional 9-litre cistern toilets could save £500 a year simply by fitting a cistern volume adjuster such as a hippo bag. Even a litre bottle of water can be used as a displacement device in many older cisterns, at no capital cost.
Companies interested in investing in water saving technology could benefit from the Water Technology List (WTL) which includes items such as low flush toilets, retrofit flushing devices and urinal controls. Products included on this list are covered by the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme which enables businesses to claim 100% first year capital allowances on investments made. See the Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme for Water Technologies website for more details.
Businesses can access the two free factsheets 'Reducing water use in washrooms: WCs' and 'Reducing water use in washrooms: Urinals' at the Envirowise water page or by calling Envirowise on 0800 585 794.
For more information about World Toilet Day - which is designed to communicate the need for better toilet standards worldwide - visit the World toilet website.
Footnote
Based on a cistern displacement device saving 2.5 litres per flush (Envirowise), typical cost of water per litre of 0.19p (U Switch website), and there being 1,837,000 office based jobs in the region.
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Media Contacts: Louise Harris or Rod Dennis at Harrison Cowley on 0117 929 2311.
About Envirowise
Envirowise delivers a valuable programme of confidential advice to UK businesses. This advice enables businesses to improve profitability and reduce environmental impact. Independent, practical and proven guidance is available through the Envirowise Advice Line, information resources and on site visits* delivered by a national team of expert advisors. Each solution is driven by the specific needs of individual firms, to genuinely improve their business practices, profitability and competitiveness.
Since 1994, Envirowise has helped UK industry save more than £1 billion. The Envirowise programme is available to any UK business, completely free of charge. For more information visit the Envirowise website or call 0800 585 794.
* Please note that different services are available in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – please contact our Advice Line on 0800 585 794 for more information on whether you are eligible for a site visit.