DEMAND MANAGEMENT

Water and energy: the forgotten link

Water waste can no longer be an overlooked part of the climate change crisis. Shawn Coles, founder of Water Saving Week (12-18 June), addresses the twin issues of water and energy efficiency.

The connection between water and energy usage is a key issue

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iscussions of energy and carbon dioxide emissions are now ubiquitous, but water is a forgotten part of the climate change equation. In fact, water use and energy use cannot be separated:

when people turn on the tap, it is usually heated water that they use – and heated water requires energy, which is mainly sourced from fossil fuels. The water industry emits 1% of the UK’s greenhouse gases in terms of

energy use for water treatment and infrastructure. But this is only part of the story: according to Defra’s Future Water report, heating water in consumers’ properties produces up to seven times the amount of emissions. Water and energy need to be given equal billing in the Whitehall debate, and the water industry must think more strategically about the ways in which water usage contributes to climate change. At this year’s IWEX event, part of SustainabilityLive!, there was a clear emphasis given to the interplay between water and other areas of sustainability. Several IWEX speakers raised the question “Is water the next carbon?” and argued that a shortage of water in the UK is likely to be of more immediate concern than an energy shortage. Mike Keil, head of climate change at Ofwat, also urged the industry to act now to reap long-term benefits of sustainability. Since the publication of Water UK’s 2006 Towards Sustainability report,

water utility companies have made great strides, undertaking substantial measures to both limit the amount of energy that they directly use and also produce their own renewable energy onsite, in order to reduce reliance on polluting fossil fuels. However, there are big issues of sustainability left for the water industry to address. There remains a lack of awareness among the general public about the

impact of water waste. Additionally, the UK population is expanding and water demand is growing every year: each person in the UK now uses an average of 150l of water a day, and this figure has been rising by 1% a year since 1930. Since increased water demand directly correlates with increased energy demand, improving water efficiency has the potential to create a massive impact on energy use and carbon emissions. However, many water users fail to make the connection between water use and energy use. An extensive and recent survey by Water Saving Week found that while 27% of businesses were uncommitted to cutting water use, only half that number (15%) were uncommitted to cutting energy use. The memo has been received that energy efficiency is positive both in

environmental and financial terms, but cutting water waste is not yet seen as a strategy to reduce energy consumption. The key is to engage with water users – educate them about the link

between water and energy usage and empower them to make the small changes that can make a huge environmental difference. Structured “behavioural change” campaigns – encouraging people to change the way they use water – have been shown to make a substantial impact on reducing energy use, and they could be used to effect change in water use. However, people do not change their behaviour spontaneously. In a business environment, awareness-raising measures, such as distributing leaflets and putting up posters in key areas, can transform staff into active, engaged water users that think about the water they use each day. Monitoring water use on a company-wide basis, making targets for water reduction, and then communicating successes in cutting water waste, have also been shown as effective ways of changing attitudes towards water. Water Saving Week 2010, which runs from12-18 June, provides an

opportunity to kick-start a behavioural change campaign within an organisation, in order to make a meaningful reduction in water and energy use. Now in its second year, this Defra-supported national campaign aims to raise awareness of water waste. Water users of all kinds have already logged onto our website to pledge support, find out more about water waste and discover water-saving tips and ideas. It is critical that water companies and the whole “supply chain” support

Water Saving Week move the debate forward and give water efficiency the national attention. It is interesting that the first support for the campaign came from the energy sector as opposed to the water companies. Notably, EDF Energy has pledged its support to Water Saving Week, demonstrating the need for greater understanding of the link between water and energy usage. Through its Join the Pod (www.jointhepod.org) campaign, EDF is encouraging school children to engage with the issue of water efficiency. The debate over water- and energy-efficiency has already been raised at SustainabilityLive!, and Water Saving Week provides a crucial opportunity for the whole of the water industry to get involved. The industry has a unique platform to effect a widespread reduction in energy use that goes far beyond the bounds of its own treatment plants. ■■■

For more information, visit: www.watersavingweek.org.uk

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