Three Valleys Water - Water Efficiency

Working with our customers

We work with businesses and schools to help them become more water efficient, through education, advice and support. We also work on joint projects with other water companies, and carry out trials at our Environment and Education Centre in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Here is a small selection of our water efficiency projects:

Hertfordshire Fire Service

	Working with Hertfordshire Fire Service to develop a reliable and sustainable method to quantify and regularly monitor the volume ofwater used for fire fighting in the Three Valleys Water supply area.The project involves close liaison with the fire authorities to understand their procedures for water use along with providing expert advice on all aspects of water efficiency.

School Water Audit Programme

The School Water Audit Programme takes a 'whole school' approach to water efficiency, providing relevant water efficiency information to all parties. Pupils, parents, teachers and non-teaching staff are made aware of water efficient methods and the importance of saving water and consequently money.

Teachers are provided with support material on water, consistent with the National Curriculum and QCA Scheme of work. Head Teachers receive feedback on the maintenance required on water using appliances in the school and figures on water savings that could be achieved. Governors receive information on the cost and benefits of maintaining water appliances in terms of reduced water and energy bills and the project will assist the local authorities to reach their targets of reduced water consumption in schools.

Dual Flush

There is currently a joint water efficiency project involving a number of water companies which include; Anglian Water, Thames, Southern, Essex and Suffolk, Tendering Hundred, South West, South East, Sutton and East Surrey and the Environment Agency.

Following the relaxation of the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 to allow retrofit variable flush mechanisms, a joint study has been devised where each company monitors the effects of variable flush devices in around 50 households. All data will be pooled and analysed by the Environment Agency.

Vegetable Trials

For the past three years vegetable trials have been carried out at our Environment and Education Centre in Bushey, to determine the ideal watering conditions for a number of vegetables. The following vegetables have been used in the trial: courgettes, carrots, radishes, beetroots, lettuces, potatoes, spinach, aubergines, tomatoes, sweetcorn, beans (dwarf, broad, French and purple)

Crops at the Environment Centre, Bushey

Research Projects

The CIRIA research group are currently investigating key performance indicators and benchmarking for water use in buildings (offices, hotels and residential). Three Valleys Water is on the steering group and has provided consumption data.