Demand Management
Bulletin
Ref:  GEHO0210BRTX-E-E Issue 99 February 2010
Walker Review
The Walker Review (The Independent Review of
Charging for Household Water and Sewerage
Services) reported in December. Its findings
were welcomed by the Environment Agency,
Water UK and Waterwise.
The review set out to:
• examine the current system of charging households
for water and sewerage services, and assess the
effectiveness and fairness of current and alternative
methods of charging
• consider social, economic and environmental
concerns
• make recommendations to ensure that England and
Wales has a sustainable and fair system of charging
in place.
The report contains a plethora of conclusions and
recommendations. Some of the key ones are:
• a national campaign is needed to ensure customers
understand the challenges we face on the supply of
water and therefore the importance of water
efficiency. The campaign should be closely aligned
with ongoing activity on energy efficiency
• the Environment Agency and Ofwat continue to work on
methods of valuing water in a way that reflects its full
future value, so that this value can begin to inform cost-
benefit analyses and underpin future investment decisions
• regulatory regimes continue to develop mechanisms that
encourage companies to promote water efficiency among
their customers
• the fairest way to apportion the costs of water services is
by volume of water supplied. Neither council tax nor
rateable value should form the long-term basis for charging
for water
• UK government and Welsh Assembly Government should
update their policy on metering in the light of issues raised
in this report. The updated policy will need to take account
of the Environment Agency’s latest work on water supply
and other factors that are changing the water environment
• legislation should be changed so that companies are
required to meter where a widely based cost-benefit
analysis is positive and to systematically meter high
discretionary users and on change of occupier. Government
should ask Ofwat to lead the transition to metering,
working with the Environment Agency, the companies and
others
• Ofwat should set up a smart meter group, including
the Environment Agency, water companies, energy
companies, Ofgem and customer representatives
such as CCWater, to determine the costs and benefits
of smart meters and to take advantage of any
synergies with the roll-out of energy smart meters
• the permitted variation in tariff structures should be
as wide as possible to reflect both local
circumstances and customers’ preferences. Ofwat
should provide guidance to water companies on the
principles to be adopted with metered charging, in
line with new government guidance. On the basis of
current evidence, seasonal (or, in due course, time-of-
day) tariffs have the most potential.
(continued on page 2)
IN THIS ISSUE
1 Walker Review
2 Essex & Suffolk news
3 Waterwise - Evidence Base II
4 SBWWI's leakage and metering conference
5 UKWIR - Baseline water efficiency
6 Telereal Trillium delivers
7 Smart metering roll-out
8 Non-domestic - Whitbread, Sainsburys
9 Joe 'Six' Pack, Abu Dhabi
10 Irish leaks, Diary
Walker Review (continued)
Much will now depend on how the Government
responds to the recommendations. The report can be
found at (
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/water/indust
ry/walkerreview/final-report.htm)
Walker responses
Responses to the Walker Review by the Environment
Agency, Water UK and Waterwise have been positive.
The Environment Agency welcomed the
recommendations and is already addressing a
number of the issues raised by the report:
• a project to address the ‘full long-term value of
water’ is already underway (see below).
• the Agency has established a series on annual tariff
trial workshops widely attended by water companies,
regulators and other stakeholders. This forum is
recognised by the industry as the exemplar for
sharing knowledge and experience
• the Agency is particularly pleased to see that the
issues of water efficiency and affordability have been
separated in the final report as they can not be easily
achieved though a single initiative such as water
efficiency targets.
In addition to the above, Waterwise’s response
welcomes:
• national strategy to influence behaviour and
inclusion of water efficiency in national energy
efficiency schemes
• a government commitment to 80% metering for all
homes in England by 2020 (and 65% in Wales) and a
change in the law to require water companies to
meter where this is cost-effective, taking into account
the full value of water
• review of labeling for water efficiency.
Responses can be found at:
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/114104.aspx
(www.water.org.uk/home/news/press-
releases/walker-review-final-report)
www.waterwise.org.uk
Flood & Water Management Bill
The Flood and Water Management Bill was
published in late November and has been
slimmed down to the basics due to the
restricted time to get it through in the last
session of this parliament.
Thus the opportunity to include water efficiency-
related items in the legislation did not materialise.
The one demand management item to be included
concerns new powers to help water companies to
better control non-essential domestic uses of water
during dry periods.
You can follow the Bill’s progress at (
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/flooding/policy/fwm
b/index.htm)
Value of water
The Environment Agency is undertaking a
project on The Value of Water that has the
following specification that will:
• determine the various policy objectives of valuing
water
• review the information and methods available in the
UK and internationally
• identify potential instruments to help us achieve
those policy objectives.
The project, carried out by London Economics, is a
first phase and will make recommendations for
further work.
Essex & Suffolk news
The latest issue of Essex & Suffolk Water’s
Water Efficiency News is full of details of new
initiatives as well as updates on established
projects.
Smart metering is a hot topic at present and the
company is trialling a product, Smart View, that can
display water consumption information to the
customer. A data logger is attached to the water
meter and communicates to a small solar powered
display unit inside the home or business.
It has been installed in 98 homes and can provide
average daily, weekly, monthly water use
comparisons as well as highlighting possible leaks.
The results of customer response is promised for the
next issue. There are details of a follow up on phases
1&2 of the company’s main project, H2eco. Nearly
3,000 questionnaires were sent out to gauge
customers’ perception of the project soliciting a high
41 percent response.
• 81% of customers believe that their water
consumption has reduced since taking part in the
project
• 79% of customers are more aware of how much
water they use on a daily basis
• in both phases of the project the kitchen Miracle
Tap Adaptor was the most popular product with 96
percent being pleased with the product.
There's also a summary of phase 3 where plumbers
fitted and delivered water efficient products.
Customers were given a personalised Water Savers
Report that suggests which products are suitable to
the particular home.
To see the results of phase 3 and reports of other
Essex & Suffolk initiatives, visit
www.eswater.co.uk/Homesurveys.aspx. For details
about the newletter, contact
clare.ridgewell@eswater.co.uk. 2
Evidence Base II
Waterwise has updated their work on the
Evidence Base for Large Scale Water Efficiency
in Homes.
The new report includes data from more recent trials.
It addresses issues highlighted in a review of the first
phase by including more accurate information on
water savings and costs while providing greater detail
on the uncertainty of the results.
The report also provides an embryonic methodology
for calculating carbon emissions and energy savings.
Scenarios
To support those who wish to carry out water
efficiency programmes, the report includes a series of
'scenarios' for programmes involving social housing;
energy companies; a whole town; retail-led retrofit;
integrated demand management; toilet amnesty; and
piggybacking on Government energy efficiency
retrofitting schemes.
Each scenario includes best estimates and the
maximum and minimum values expected given the
size of the programme, the uptake rates, the
operational costs (including those where the scheme
is not taken up) and the estimated water savings.
Other variables such as the asset life of the apparatus
and the half life of the water savings have also been
considered.
A table of average incremental costs, average
incremental social costs and net present values are
also calculated.
Applying the methodology
The methodology is illustrated by applying to several
high profile case studies:
•Preston Water Efficiency Initiative
• Wessex Water - Water Efficiency Trial
• South West Water - Water Efficiency Trial
• United Utilities - Home Audit Study
• Anglian Water - Ipswich Area WEM Trial
• Thames Water - Measured Visit and Fix Trial
• Yorkshire Water - Water Saving Trial
• Severn Trent - Domestic Water Efficiency Trial
Carbon savings
Domestic hot water use accounts for five percent of
the UK’s carbon emissions. Combining water and
energy efficiency improvements can therefore deliver
multiple benefits.
The report recognises this by providing a framework
for calculating energy and carbon values for hot water
use in the home. The calculations take into account
the type of fuel for heating water including showers.
The figures include carbon emissions from the energy
used by water companies in water treatment and
distribution.
Waterwise spell out all the assumptions, clearly
pointing out that the figures provided by the model
are estimates. These estimates will be confirmed as
the evidence improves.
This report provides a common framework to assess
costs and benefits of water saving activities.
The report can be downloaded via
www.waterwise.org.uk
Waterwise's retrofitting best
practice guide
Waterwise have updated their March 2008
publication Water Efficiency Audit
Programmes: a Best Practice Guide.
The result, Water Efficiency Retrofitting: A Best
Practice Guide, summarises current best practice for
water efficiency retrofitting, for those wishing to carry
out large scale projects and for companies wishing to
carry out water efficiency trials to contribute to the
evidence base (see column).
Included are four exemplar case studies to illustrate
how such studies should be undertaken:
• Anglian Water – Ipswich Enhanced Metering Project
• Focus groups on Folkestone and Dover Water
Service’s proposed Lydd Retrofit Trial
• United Utilities Water Efficient Showerhead Offer (
www.unitedutilities.co.uk/UU_Showerhead_Offer_22
-08-08_-_FINAL.pdf)
• Essex & Suffolk Water – Water Saving Toolkit
Project and H2eco Project (
www.eswater.co.uk/Homesurveys.aspx)
The report refers to the UKWIR Water Saving Database
which is a portal that collates and compares a wide
range of water efficiency projects. This database can
only be useful if new projects continue to be added
by users (see also page 5).
The database can be found at www.water-
saving.org/site/WR25c/wr25c-home
The retrofitting guide is available via
www.waterwise.org.uk
3

SBWWI on leakage and metering
SBWWI’s annual Metering and Leakage
Seminar is an opportunity for contractors and
the supply chain to exchange experiences with
water companies, government and regulators
on what is happening now and anticipated in
the future.
Although leakage and metering were discussed on
separate days, both are increasingly seen as part of
the overall network management.
Thames Water’s Richard Tidswell, in presenting
Integrated Demand Management, said that the
company is adopting automatic meter reading (AMR)
as standard on all installations and has developed a
preferred technical specification. Fixed network
automatic meter reading is expected to deliver the
majority of the information needed by the company.
Mike Pocock, Rob Westcott and Bruce Horton prepare
to present
In presenting United Utilities’ Road to Automatic
Meter Reading Neil Harper said that meter
penetration in the company’s area is planned to
increase from the current 25 to 63 percent in 35 years
time. The company’s preference is for internal
metering.
In building the case for AMR, the company considered
a whole life cost approach including a minimum of
two complete life cycles of meter replacement with a
required minimum 15 year battery life to match the
life of the meter. All ‘tangible’ costs are included on
installation and replacement, customer contact,
meeting the Traffic Management Act, reducing supply
pipe leakage and for ‘exceptional’ visits.
The company modelled a number of scenarios for
AMP5 with internal meters AMR enabled and external
meters read visually. The whole life cost exercise
found that there are significantly lower meter reading
costs in the longer term.
Internal or external?
With a growing interest in smart metering, companies
are assessing whether internal or external metering
better suits their vision and particular circumstances.
Generally external meters are preferred, but some
companies may well review this in the light of new
evidence on costs and benefits.
The siting of the meter has implications for how data
is transmitted to and from the consumer. It is less
easy to transmit data from an external meter chamber
but easier to pinpoint supply pipe leakage. Internal
meters are easier and cheaper to install but don’t
provide the leakage reduction benefits.
With meters expected to be replaced after about
fifteen years, it is vital that accompanying batteries
last as long and evidence appears to support this.
True value
Several delegates were anticipating the use of ‘the
true value of water’ in their calculations. Magda
Styles confirmed that the Environment Agency is
carrying out research to evaluate the ‘true value of
water’ (see page 2). This work should help strengthen
the case for metering, leakage reduction and the
implementation of demand management measures.
Smart meter networking is now concentrating minds
on ideas, expertise and research. There is the
Intelligent Metering Initiative, with supporting water
company research through UKWIR, and its Industry
Metering Group. There are developing links with the
energy sector with their commitment to roll out smart
energy meters by 2020.
All this will help in setting standards and encouraging
best practice in the water sector.
(continued on page 5)
. 4
SBWWI conference (continued)
Several of the presentations highlighted the role of
customer behaviour and the importance of
communications and customer contact in delivering
innovative tariffs and water efficiency improvements.
This is particularly true in the case of the water and
energy link where customers can benefit from lower
energy bills by the efficient use of water.
On leakage, the Environment Agency’s Rob Westcott
outlined factors that influence its levels and approach
such as metering, climate change, innovation, supply
pipe management, regulatory requirements and
population growth. Given that there are more
‘downward’ than ‘upward’ pressures we should see a
reduction in leakage levels over time – yet long-term
forecasts don’t show this.
Garrick Burchill, representing the SBWWI Meter
Manufacturers group, outlined how meters are much
cheaper, more reliable and accurate than ten years
ago.
Richard Chalk, presenting Severn Trent Water’s
Advance Pressure Management, gave examples from
a number of pilot DMAs, all of which were existing
pressure managed areas.
For example, in Halfway House, a DMA of 1854
properties and 84 commercial properties, there were
leakage savings of 30 percent relative to an
optimised fixed outlet.
The system increased pressures to meet demand
during high flows and returned to optimised control
when the flow returned to the normal profile later the
same day.
All the presentations can be downloaded via
www.sbwwi.co.uk/seminars.php?SeminarID=40
Baseline water efficiency
The UKWIR project Cost Benefit of Baseline
Water Efficient Activities has produced a
common method for estimating water saving
from 'soft' measures. This will help water
companies to submit consistent data to
comply with water efficiency targets.
The project provides a spreadsheet tool in time for
users to fully test out before submitting water saving
figures to Ofwat in the June Return. UKWIR’s suite of
water efficiency projects has built up a substantial
knowledge base with information provided on a
consistent basis in the Water Efficiency Database (
www.water-saving.org).
Dene Marshallsay from the contractor, Artesia,
explained at a project dissemination workshop in
December, how this database was central to the
study.
The database currently contains data on ‘hard’
measures, those resulting from installing water
saving devices. For this study evidence on ‘soft’
measures, those relating to behaviour change, was
collected.
UK at forefront
On the international front, Zaragoza’s Water Saving
City project is seen as an example of using ‘soft’
measures in combination with ‘hard’ measures to
reinforce the water savings.
However, Dene noted that a trawl through overseas
references confirmed that the UK was in the forefront
of research on quantifying the effects on water use of
water efficiency activities.
A detailed questionnaire was sent out to the water
companies with twenty companies responding on
their water efficiency activities.
The report includes a diagram showing how the water
efficiency targets are set to include water savings
above ‘minimum water efficiency activity’, illustrating
how both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ measures can contribute.
Artesia devised a scoring system with the level of
engagement with customers set as ‘minimum’, ‘low’,
‘medium’ or ‘high’. This, when combined with the
potential water savings of the water efficiency
measure, gives an estimate of the water savings.
These calculations are all set out in an Excel
spreadsheet tool available to water companies.
Delegates were able to test out the spreadsheet in
the afternoon session.
Dene added that the tool can also assist companies
in calculating the consequential greenhouse gas
emissions and impact on energy bills.
In summing up, UKWIR Client Manager, Wessex
Water’s Luke deVial said that the targets were
important,
‘but we should not lose sight of the fact that
the customer should be the main focus of
waterefficiency’.
The report can be ordered via www.ukwir.org
5
Telereal Trillium delivers
Telereal Trillium, an estate management
company, was shortlisted for the 2009
Environment Agency Water Efficiency Awards.
Simon Phillips, the company’s National
Environmental Director, explained Telereal’s
successful system of environment management. It is
an integral part of the overall utilities management
and relies on the necessary information and levers to
make it work.
Telereal manages, amongst other things, gas,
electricity, water and waste. Therefore they are in a
position to apply environmental management in the
widest sense.
The company employs 1,000 people directly, and a
further 12,000 individuals who work for long term
partners, and manages a large range of properties. It
can therefore make a great contribution towards
reducing carbon emissions.
Having a background in mechanical and engineering
design, coupled with a degree in environmental
engineering, Simon has seen huge improvements
since the first enlightened developers appeared in
the 1980s. He has the full backing of the company to
apply his expertise. Their exemplar contract is with
the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)
managing 1,400 buildings covering 2.5 million
square meters and housing 120,000 staff.
Because of the integrated contract (Telereal is also
responsible for keeping the buildings clean) there are
no problems with waterless urinals reported by some
users.
Simon and his team of local managers can access the
water use data at all the sites through the internet. A
database, which includes details of all the plant
equipment, highlights possible problems (leaks,
water used at weekends etc) and dispatches an email
asking the local manager to investigate.
A profile of water use at a building is established over
time and significant deviations highlighted. The
software also sets benchmarks both in
litre/person/year and litres/m2 to highlight any
‘outliers’.
There has been a reduction in water use of 28 percent
against a 2005/06 benchmark of 452,000 m3.
Ironically, the recession has meant a significant
increase in DWP staff and opening hours inducing a
relative increase in water use.
There is much more to making the contract a success.
The contract with the DWP incentivises Telereal
Trillium to invest in saving water as they are entitled
to half the financial savings.
Therefore it is in their interest to investigate new
technology and test it in pilot studies before wider
introduction.
Looking wider than water management, in 2009 the
DWP joined the Mayor of London’s Green 500
scheme, designed to target 500 of the biggest private
and public sector organisations in London with the
greatest carbon saving potential.
At the annual Green500 Awards, DWP received a
platinum award recognising the energy/carbon saving
initiatives in partnership with Telereal Trillium.
Simon admitted that they have to deal with some
poorly designed buildings in their various contracts
that make improvements difficult, especially for more
complex technologies like rainwater harvesting
systems.
However, he is optimistic for the future as the
commercial building sector now wants new buildings
to achieve very good or excellent BREEAM ratings and
environmental concerns are now addressed at the
design stage in consultation with engineers.
Simon Phillips leads on sustainability for Telereal
Trillium
6

The DWP’s £26 million utilities bill includes: Involvement

• 58% for electricity Telereal discusses proposed improvements with
• 25% for gas and oil the trade unions to ensure their support and to
• 17% for water. share the environmental ethos with DWP staff.
Simon said he
Essential work
InitiallyTelereal installed automatic meters, reading
‘hoped a time will come when environmental
water use at half hourly intervals, at 560 of the sites
and to install 3,400 waterless urinals. management is incorporated into a business
the same way as health and safety’.
UK smart meter roll-out
On 2 December 2009 the Government
published Towards a Smarter Future:
Government Responseto the Consultation on
Electricity and Gas Smart Metering.
It set out the Government’s conclusions and
decisions following the consultation, particularly on:
• delivering model for domestic smart meters
• high-level smart functionality requirements for
domestic electricity and gas meters
• provision of a real-time display and information
with a smart meter
•smart functionality requirements for non-domestic
meters
• implementation programme.
Impact assessments for the domestic and non-
domestic meter roll-outs and supporting analytical
consultancy work have also been published.
The Government also announced a £6 million scheme
to help suppliers develop smart technology. The
plans will make energy suppliers responsible for
installing smart meters in their customers’ homes.
The Government wants to see central coordination of
communications between smart meters and utility
companies to ensure that customers can continue to
switch between suppliers easily.
In response to lobbying from the industry, the
Government plans will also require suppliers to
provide consumers with a display device that makes
it easy to see and understand energy usage in real
time.
For details, visit (
www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/sm
art_metering/smart_metering.aspx)
Water/energy link down under
A report by CSIRO and the Water Services Association
of Australia, Energy Use in the Provision and
Consumption of Urban Water in Australia and New
Zealand, investigated water and energy use and
points to potentially significant water and energy
savings. It concludes that a 15 per cent reduction in
residential hot water use could offset all energy used
by water utilities in 2006/07.
The report concluded that, under Australia’s current
average consumption of 217 litres per person per day
, total energy use to provide water could increase by
up to 130 per cent by 2030 if a mix of desalination,
recycling and new surface water sources is used to
meet demand. Even with this increase, urban water
utilities would only account for 0.3 per cent of the
total energy used by Australia’s major cities in 2030.
WSAA Executive Director, Ross Young, commenting
on the report, said
‘the scenarios reinforce the need for the water
industry to continue to implement energy-
saving initiatives, but also to plan water
resources with a clear understanding of where
energy and water savings can be made most
effectively’.
He added that analysis shows that installing a WELS
3-star shower rose would cut by 45 percent both
water and hot-water-system energy consumption in
households with high water use.
Replacing an old WELS 2-star washing machine with a
4-star front loading model would cut energy use by
more than half and save 10 kilolitres of water
annually, assuming 250 washes a year; 50 percent of
water on cold-wash cycle and 44.5 kWh/year
electrical consumption by pumps and motors. Copies
of the report are available at (
www.clw.csiro.au/publications/waterforahealthycoun
try/2008/wfhc-urban-water-energy.pdf)
Energy moves ahead
Homeowners in Birmingham, Sunderland, the London
Borough of Sutton and Stroud will be testing out new
ways to finance whole house energy makeovers under
the Government’s £4m Home Energy Pay As You Save
scheme.
Householders will be repaying the cost of the
improvements over a long enough period to make
repayments lower than the predicted energy bill
savings. This financial benefit acts as an incentive to
reduce carbon emissions.
A total of around 500 homes across England will take
part in the trial which will provide evidence of how to
foot the bill for the Great British Refurb – the
Government’s plan to make the 26 million existing
homes in the UK more energy efficient.
Visit (www.est.org.uk/corporate/Corporate-and-
media-site/Media-centre/Press-releases/500-homes-
to-pilot-Pay-As-You-Save-PAYS) for details.
Jordan's WDM action plan to reduce
demand
Jordan, the hosts for Efficient 2011, is showing its
credentials by forming an action plan to implement
the recommendations of its Water Demand
Management (WDM) Policy.
The policy focuses on the water-consuming sectors
including municipalities, tourism, industry and
agriculture. It will involve setting up technical
specifications and standards for water saving
fixtures, reviewing the current water tariffs, drawing
up legislation to reduce water loss and expanding the
use of treated water.
For details visit (
www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100121033
434/Authorities%20in%20Jordan%20draw%20up%2
0water-saving%20action%20plan)
7
New fabrics to save water?
One of the ways to reduce the environmental and
water footprint of clothing is to choose the most
suitable material or even develop a new and
environmentally friendly one.
Defra has been looking at such issues and published
Reducing the Environmental Impact of Clothes
Cleaning. One of the recommendations is that there
should be further investigation into clothing that
requires less washing, drying and ironing. The report
also looks to encourage changes in consumer
behaviour. For full details, visit (
http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu
&Module=More&Location=
None&Completed=0&ProjectID=16094)
Catchment network
Dr Ruth Alcock from the University of Lancaster sent
in details of the NERC Catchment Change Network
which is being funded for a period of three years.
One of the three focus areas is Future Change and
Water Scarcity led by Edna O’Connel and Chris Kilsby
of Newcastle University and Adrian McDonald of
Leeds University.
This focus area will draw on recent and ongoing work
in the Thames catchment (Tyndall Centre and EPSRC
CRANIUM projects) using fully probabilistic scenarios
to address future resource and planning options
complemented by the recent work on water demand
modelling and forecasting.
A workshop, scheduled for 10 February in
Birmingham, will consider the sources of uncertainty
in supply and demand in water scarcity as well as
decision support tools for water resource assessment
under uncertainty.
A website, www.catchmentchange.net, has been
established to disseminate information.
Supermarket competition
A rainwater harvesting system has been installed at
Sainsbury’s new energy-efficient Gloucester Quays
store in the company’s bid to become the UK’s
greenest supermarket retailer.
An underground 25,000 litre storage tank provides
water for the WCs and urinals in the new store.
Capturing an estimated 1,180 m3 of rainwater from
the 7,261 m2 roof area per annum, it is estimated
that the Stormsaver system will save Sainsbury’s just
over £2,500 on its annual mains water bill. This will
enable the new development to reduce its mains
water usage by 50 per cent compared to other
existing stores of this size built before 2006.
With Tesco taking a great interest in rainwater
harvesting (see Bulletin 95, page 3) it is good to see
real supermarket competition. Details at
www.buildingtalk.com/news/pse/pse114.html
Whitbread and AMR
Whitbread plc has launched a water automated meter
recording data logging project to monitor water usage
in all of its properties across the UK over the period
from November 2009 to July 2010.
This will give Whitbread an accurate real time
understanding of their water consumption by brand,
to enable them to benchmark different site sizes and
effectively monitor usage against budgets and billing.
Any unusual consumption levels will automatically
trigger alerts leading to early detection of leakage.
The company will be able to monitor usage accurately
and build up profiles of usage against footfall and
occupancy rates. Whitbread outlined plans to reduce
water consumption by 3 to 5 percent in their annual
environment report. Details at (
www.traveldaily.co.uk/AsiaPacificNews/Detail.aspx?
Section=15464)
Footprint standards
The Water Footprint Network has issued the Water
Footprint Manual containing a complete, consistent
and up-to-date overview of the method of water
footprint assessment.
In order to avoid the lack of standards and definitions
in carbon calculations, the Water Footprint Network
has decided to use one common language in order to
share information about actual footprints and
reduction targets. It covers a comprehensive set of
methods for water footprint accounting and shows
how water footprints can be calculated for individual
processes and products, as well as for consumers,
nations and businesses.
It also includes methods for water footprint
sustainability assessment and a library of water
footprint response options.
You can download the manual via (
www.waterfootprint.org/downloads/WaterFootprintM
anual2009.pdf)
Recycling cooling tower water
The November edition of Water and Wastewater
Magazine includes an article about Ropemaker - the
first ever commercial building in the UK to directly
recycle cooling tower water.
As part of the sustainability measures, Ropemaker
will be harvesting rainwater to reduce their mains
water requirements but will also be re-using water
from ozone treated cooling towers to provide enough
grey water for the flushing of toilets throughout the
586,000 square feet of office space. It is expected
that, as well as providing a larger and more
predictable water supply than rainwater, the cooling
tower re-use will save approximately 12,000 cubic
metres of water and £20,160 per year.
For details, visit (
www.waterwise.co.uk/Press/Ropemaker_Recycle_Co
oling_Tower.php). 8
Reminder
The presentation at Efficient 2009 that
received the greatest audience reaction came
from South Nevada Water Authority’s J.C.
Davis.
Lawn sprinkler timers are due to be changed three
times a year and the Authority found that only 40
percent of customers were complying.
An advertising campaign was undertaken explaining
the facts about water resources and drought but the
compliance rate stubbornly remained at 40 percent.
Joe Six Pack
The authority decided to change tack and identified
‘Joe Six Pack’ as the person they needed to reach to
get their message across.
‘Joe Six Pack’ does not want all the detailed facts
about the environment and sustainability, he just
wants to be told what to do in the simplest manner.
They produced a new series of three TV adverts under
the banner of ‘don’t let us have to remind you’ that
not only produced memorable adverts but raised the
compliance rate to 80 percent.
It emphasises that to reach certain groups in society
you have to be very creative.
J.C Davis warned that some of you might be a bit
shocked by the directness of the adverts. You can
visit www.snwa.com/cfml/video/ and watch ‘
Lawnbada’, ‘The Neighbor’ and ‘The Puppy’ in that
order to find out for yourself..
Abu Dhabi dumps desal?
With a per capita consumption of 550 litres a
day the United Arab Emirates appear to have
received a reality check and launched a
nationwide water conservation campaign.
As part of the initiative, about 55,000 households,
2,750 mosques, 500 schools and 2,000 public or
commercial buildings will be provided with free
water-saving devices over the span of a year. Already,
more than 300 mosques have been fitted with
devices that can cut the flow of water from 12 litres
per minute to three litres per minute.
It is a joint effort from Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi
and Emirates Wildlife Society-World Wide Fund for
Nature and follows an energy conservation plan
started last year.
Since the 1960s the UAE has relied on the energy-
intensive process of desalinating seawater to meet its
needs. At the launch, Dr Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahd,
Minister of Environment and Water, said that
‘Desalination plants are not sustainable’.
‘Over 80 per cent of the UAE’s ecological footprint is
related to the consumption of carbon-intensive goods
and services. Almost 100 per cent of the UAE’s
drinking water comes from the desalination of sea
water which relies on burning gas in our co-
generation power plants that are responsible for 36
percent of carbon emissions’.
He added that
'desalination plants create environmental problems
apart from involving huge building cost’. Details at (
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/fr
ee-water-saving-devices-for-uae-homes-1.567149)
Fair deal for water
The need to support the case for water in the face of '
competition’ from the energy sector has again been
highlighted by lobbying in the USA.
A coalition of sixteen organisations, including the
Alliance for Water Efficiency has sent a letter to
President Obama ‘asking for recognition of water
efficiency alongside energy efficiency in future jobs
legislation’.
In a letter dated December 29, 2009, the Alliance for
Water Efficiency along with American Rivers,
American Supply Association, Building Owners and
Managers Association International, First Supply,
Irrigation Association, Kohler, Mechanical Contractors
Association of America, Moen Incorporated, National
Apartment Association, National Multi Housing
Council, Plumbing Contractors of America, Plumbing
Manufacturers Institute, Plumbing-Heating-Cooling
Contractors National Association, Real Estate
Roundtable, and U.S. Green Building Council urged
the President to propose to Congress, the inclusion of
plumbing and irrigation efficiency retrofits in
legislation to create green jobs and boost the
economy.
Furthermore, the letter recommended a ‘Jobs Bill’
should include federal procurement of WaterSense
products for new building and major renovations. To
see the letter go to (
www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/letter-to-
president-obama.aspx)
Metering policy
The American Water Works Associaton has
recommend that every water utility accurately meter
all water taken into its system and all water
distributed from its system at its customers’ point of
service, read its meters at sufficiently frequent
intervals to support its rate structures, and provide
accurate bills to its customers. 9
Irish leaks
The most severe winter since 1962/63 is resulting in
increased leakage levels, notably in Ireland.
The Irish Times on 13 January reported Dublin City
Council’s Chief City Engineer, Michael Phillips, as
saying that the council had ‘no idea’ when supplies
would return to normal and that it could take up to six
months before leaks and bursts were stopped.
Water tankers had to be stationed around the city.
The council had endeavoured to supply most homes
with some piped water each day by increasing the
water pressure between 5pm and 7pm.
The FBD Insurance website had advised leaving a
kitchen tap trickling in freezing conditions ‘as moving
water will not freeze’. Mr Phillips said no one had any
right to give such advice. In a statement, FBD said the
advice had been given ‘in good faith’.
No better
Things were not much better in the north. From 24
December to 12 January, Northern Ireland Water
received over 42,000 calls to its Waterline, up to
three times the average normally experienced at that
time of year.
During this period of time, the organisation located
and repaired over 580 burst water mains. Repairs
have also been carried out on 270 service pipes.
Extra water has been tankered to maintain supplies
from depleted service reservoirs and up until the 30
December, approximately 140,000 litres of bottled
water was provided to affected customers.
In England and Scotland things were very similar. For
example, Anglian Water issued a press release saying
that they had experienced 76 burst mains on 29
December compared with the usual 13 events. 
Waterwise Conference 2010
Waterwise’s fifth annual water efficiency
conference, part of UNESCO’s World Water Day
activities, will discuss the future of water
efficiency and how to scale it up to ensure
thousands of homes across the UK are water
efficient.
The inaugural networking event will take place at
Keble College, Oxford University from 4pm Monday
22 March until 4pm Tuesday 23 March 2010.
Delegates will hear from high profile speakers
including the Minister for the Marine and Natural
Environment, Huw Irranca-Davies MP and Jonathan
Porritt, Director of Forum for the Future.
Barbara Young, Member of the Government’s Climate
Change Adaptation Sub-Committee and former CEO of
the Environment Agency, will give the key note
speech at the gala dinner and the drinks reception
will provide delegates with a valuable opportunity to
network.
The water efficiency exhibition runs alongside the
conference and amongst other things demonstrates
new water efficient technologies available for
retrofitting water efficiency in the future.
For the full list of speakers and to register visit
www.waterwise.org.uk/events
Contact us by email:savewater@environment-
agency.gov.ukor by telephone: +44 (0) 1903 832275.
For more information visit www.environment-
agency.gov.uk/savewater. Editor: Philip Turton,
email:philip.turton@environment-agency.gov.uk
Diary
2 to 4 March - Ecobuild
This annual Earl’s Court event will feature the Getting
Water Wise seminars again this year.
For details visit  www.ecobuild.co.uk/seminars.html
22 to 23 March - Waterwise Conference 2010
Entitled The Future of Water Efficiency - Scaling it Up,
the fifth Waterwise Water Efficiency Conference will
take place at Keble College in Oxford. For details, visit
www.waterwise.org.uk
11 to 14 April - Sustainable Water Management
Conference & Exposition
Albuquerque is the venue for this event that gathers
water industry professionals from around the world to
discuss demand management and meeting water
supply needs.
Details via www.awwa.org/conferences/
6 to 9 June - Water Loss 2010
This year's event is being held in San Paulo, Brazil.
Details via
www.acquacon.com.br/waterloss2010/en/
27 to 28 September - 4th European Water and
Wastewater Management Conference
The theme for this year's European Water and Waste
Management Conference, to be held in Leeds, is
Reducing the Environmental Footprint of the Water
Industry. The organisers have issued a call for
presentations. Details at www.ewwmconference.com
 6 to 8 October 2010- WaterSmart Innovations
Following the success last October (more than 1,000
people from 42 states and 12 nations), the 2010
conference will again take place in Las Vegas. Details
at Details via www.watersmartinnovations.com
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