The need to act is a given.
The challenge is knowing where to start.
Water is at the heart of what we do. We work with some of the most well-known organisations in the UK to support them on their water journey. From initial discovery all the way through to the end-goal of sustainable water management.
We utilise our experience and expertise to pioneer new ways of meeting the challenges around water. Led by actionable insight and an unrivalled understanding of customer’s needs, our team of trusted market specialists add value at every step of the journey to ensure water stewardship excellence is achieved.
Your journey to sustainable water management
Discovery
Before embarking on your journey, it’s essential that we fully explore your organisation’s current water situation so that we can precisely plan the right water journey for you.
Insights into your current situation empowers us to create a viable, comprehensive plan for water stewardship excellence on your behalf.
Water matters: Insights for the UK’s universities sector
What would happen if there was a shortage of water across your campus? Within a couple of hours, facilities and administrative teams are under pressure to find solutions.
Visibility
Building on our initial discovery work, now we can delve into the detail of your water usage and spend, create baseline data sets, review industry benchmarks, and identify potential problems to address.
The insight gained at this stage will immediately highlight areas of focus, guiding us towards the interventions that will have the most impact for your business, and for the environment.
Setting new standards in water management
In anticipation of future customer needs, Waterscan is pleased to announce the launch of its next level water management platform, Waterline.
Control
With all the insight we need, we can now take charge of your water consumption and cost, tackle wastage and ensure that the water market is working for you.
Unlike other utilities, water requires constant management. Leaky taps and meter failures can occur at any time at any site. However, instances like this needn’t derail progress towards water efficiency – they are easily resolved if spotted quickly.
The rise of rising block tariffs
Businesses and organisations that consume large volumes of water could soon see their bills rise dramatically with the introduction of a range of new pricing structures.
Leadership
Having taken control over your water management, it’s time to focus on the longer-term opportunities that will have opened up beyond your business boundaries.
Whether you’re striving for water neutrality as a business, looking to safeguard supply chains through collaboration, embrace catchment management or share insight and experience with sector peers, Waterscan’s experts help you get to where you aspire to be.
Reflections on World Water Week 2024
World Water Week 2024, which took place a few weeks ago in Stockholm, has left a lasting impact, highlighting the vital role of collaboration in achieving sustainable water management.
Sustainable water management
With the foundations of your water journey in place, we will support you in either establishing your long-term strategy or achieving your sustainability goals, whilst protecting your business against water-related climate impacts.
Self-Supply Users Briefing: Driving collaboration
The Self-Supply community met for a quarterly update briefing, hosted by Waterscan, on 12th September 2024.
Featured Insights
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Reflections on World Water Week 2024
World Water Week 2024, which took place a few weeks ago in Stockholm, has left a lasting impact, highlighting the vital role of collaboration in achieving sustainable water management.
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Self-Supply Users Briefing: Driving collaboration
The Self-Supply community met for a quarterly update briefing, hosted by Waterscan, on 12th September 2024.
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Addressing water scarcity in the Hospitality sector
As highlighted by Will Silverwood, Head of Sustainability at long-term Waterscan customer Whitbread, this challenge is particularly pressing for industries heavily reliant on water, such as hospitality.
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Water Matters 2024 Report
Water Matters 2024 supported non-household water users in working towards a more resilient, sustainable water future, bringing together experts and influencers alike to discuss some of the biggest challenges being faced in the UK.
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The rise of rising block tariffs
Businesses and organisations that consume large volumes of water could soon see their bills rise dramatically with the introduction of a range of new pricing structures.
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Introducing the Sustainability Team
Waterscan is pleased to announce the line-up of its highly qualified Sustainability Team delivering a fully comprehensive suite of Water Consulting Services within the UK Water Market.
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Whitbread’s Water Journey
Sustainability credentials are playing a growing role in the choices made by consumers. Few companies have integrated water management into their sustainability agendas, let alone considered the link between water and carbon emissions. For Whitbread, a clear strategic direction that captures all water-related impacts and establishes targets for water and carbon emission reductions was the … Read more
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Water matters: Insights for the UK’s universities sector
What would happen if there was a shortage of water across your campus? Within a couple of hours, facilities and administrative teams are under pressure to find solutions.
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The water market moves forward
The Self-Supply community convened for its Spring Briefing on 7th March, welcoming speakers from market regulator Ofwat and market operator MOSL.
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Setting new standards in water management
In anticipation of future customer needs, Waterscan is pleased to announce the launch of its next level water management platform, Waterline.
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Smart water meters: A 3 minute guide
Although smart metering for gas and electricity is fast becoming the norm, the adoption of smart meters across UK water networks remains in its infancy.
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BT’s water journey
With a large, complex property portfolio, BT partnered with Waterscan to improve its water management processes.
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The Water Report: Finding the way on business behaviour change
Take a look at The Water Report’s latest report on water efficiency, which includes our bid to the Catalyst stream of Ofwat’s Innovation Fund.
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Self-Supply Users Forum: Reflections and opportunities
On 7th December, Waterscan hosted a meeting for Self-Supply companies to reflect on developments across the market over the past year and look ahead to how the sector plans to develop its approach in 2024.
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Water strategy for universities: a path to sustainability
In a world where water scarcity is intensifying, the UK’s universities have a crucial role to play.
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Navigating to net-zero
The critical relationship between climate change and water resource management may not be immediately obvious to many, yet society cannot be net-zero unless it is more water efficient.
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Ofwat’s annual market review, reviewed
Market regulator, Ofwat, has published an overview of developments during the business retail market’s sixth year of operation (2022-23).
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BT’s Water Journey
In conversation with Matthew Power, Utilities Commercial Specialist.
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Self-Supply Users Briefing: Horizon scanning
The Self-Supply community met for a quarterly update briefing, hosted by Waterscan, on 14th September 2023.
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Moving forward after World Water Week 2023
In conversation with Waterscan’s Rebecca Gale, Account Director, and Esmond Bowerman, Sustainability Manager.
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Water matters: Insights for the UK’s public sector
How long could your frontline services continue to operate without water? The chances are, you’ve got about 10 minutes before vulnerable members of society are put at risk.
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Water matters: Insights for the UK’s pub and restaurant sector
How long could your pub or restaurant operate without water? The chances are, you’ve got about 10 minutes before your customers stop getting served.
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Water Matters: Insights for the UK’s hotel and leisure sector
What would happen if your business lost access to water? The chances are, within 30 minutes your facilities would grind to a halt, customers would begin to vanish, and your reputation would be tarnished.
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10 reasons why water will increasingly dominate the sustainability agenda
Here are the 10 reasons why water will increasingly dominate the sustainability agenda.
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10 steps to water resilience
Why water will increasingly dominate the sustainability agenda.
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World Water Week 2023: The view from Stockholm
Eleanor Pendle’s experience at World Water Week 2023.
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Why act now: The business case for water action
If your organisation is not conserving water as an integral part of its race to net zero, its progress will, quite simply, be impeded. Why act now: The business case for water action.
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5 steps to start measuring and reporting on water
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. What you don’t measure, you can’t improve. We’ve put together a 5 step guide to start measuring and reporting on water.
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Water Matters 2023: Inspiring action on water resilience
On 22nd June, Waterscan convened the first in a new annual conference, Water Matters.
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Boots to Self-Supply water
Boots has been granted a Water and Sewerage Self-Supply licence (WSSL) by industry regulator, Ofwat. With 2,200 stores across the UK, Boots has partnered with Waterscan to facilitate the licence application and to manage the transition to Self-Supply.
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Smart metering in the spotlight
The Strategic Panel is getting tough on getting smart.
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Draft WRMPs lack ambition, focus, clarity and accountability
Every five years, the UK’s 16 water companies have a statutory duty to produce a Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP).
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Sainsbury’s awards Waterscan as Strategic Partner for Sustainability
In recognition of the proactive, expert support that it provides, Waterscan has been awarded the accolade of Sainsbury’s Strategic Partner for Sustainability.
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Water matters: Insights for the manufacturing sector
At this tipping point, when water scarcity impacts our daily lives, it will be too late, far too late; especially for manufacturers, who rely on secure, consistent water supplies and effective, compliant effluent management to function.
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Watching and waiting: Self-Supply users briefing
Representatives from Ofwat, MOSL and The Water Report joined the Self-Supply community on Thursday 9th March 2023 for a briefing meeting focused on market performance and industry plans for pricing and resource management.
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Instant expert: Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that, by 2030, all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
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5 tips to improve your CDP disclosure
Each year, CDP opens its reporting platform from April to August in readiness for scoring in the autumn.
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The 5 financial reasons to take water action in 2023
The opportunities arising from effective water stewardship are plentiful. In fact, acting on water has become the low-hanging fruit in adapting to climate change and it provides irrefutable operational and commercial benefits.
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Countdown to cost increases
As with widely reported household bill increases, most businesses will also be receiving higher than planned for water bills from April 2023.
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CDP: Water security performance revealed
The annual reveal of Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) scores is always a highly anticipated and interesting event.
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Sefton Council’s Water Journey
An Interview with Cllr Paulette Lappin, cabinet member – regulatory, compliance and corporate services & Jon Williams, environmental management (utilities) officer.
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Deregulation deconstructed
Deregulation deconstructed. The deregulation of the water industry in 2017 set out to accomplish a lot. Five years on, to what extent has it delivered?
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Evaluating supply sustainability for water customers: Deregulation deconstructed
Deregulation deconstructed. Protecting Britain’s water supplies for the long term was the underlying reason for deregulating the market. How easy is it now for customers to make good water management choices?
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Evaluating value for water customers: Deregulation deconstructed
Deregulation deconstructed. Every business has a different view on what constitutes value for money. Market deregulation set out to enable customers to prioritise what’s important to them. Are customers achieving best value now?
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Evaluating administrative efficiency for water customers: Deregulation deconstructed
Deregulation deconstructed. Every business has a different view on what constitutes value for money. Market deregulation set out to enable customers to prioritise what’s important to them. Are customers achieving best value now?
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Evaluating operational resilience for water customers: Deregulation deconstructed
Deregulation deconstructed. The majority of businesses want the water market to deliver a reliable water supply without interruption above all else. Had the water market provided the reassurance they seek?
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Evaluating customer choice in the water market: Deregulation deconstructed
Deregulation deconstructed. Market deregulation gave customers choice over who supplies their water, at what cost, and with which added value options. Have UK businesses acted on this opportunity?
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PR24: Direction is good. Action is better.
Following a lengthy period of consultation, reflect and number crunching, Ofwat has published the methodology for its price review, PR24, which sets out expectations of water companies for the period 2025-2030 and beyond.
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Are ideas drying up?
The Self-Supply community convened for its final session of 2022 on Thursday 1st December.
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Environmental targets: Defra publishes statutory water limits
Following a lengthy public consultation during 2022, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has secured…
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Acting on water is acting on net zero
It might not be immediately obvious, but there are a lot of greenhouse gases tied up in water.
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Taking Stock; State of the Market Report
Water market regulator Ofwat has published its annual State of the Market report which outlines its assessment of the market, five years on from deregulation.
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Water: 2022’s wake-up call for all
Most media attention was focused on how best to manage household water use, so you could be forgiven for assuming that commercial…
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Efficiency leads Self-Supply users forum discussion
Representatives from the water market regulator Ofwat, market operator MOSL, and the market’s Strategic Panel, joined the British businesses that have taken control of their water for the Self-Supply Users Forum on Thursday 8th September 2022.
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A watershed moment
The conference is being hailed as a watershed moment; a time to review progress on SDG6, the Sustainable Development Goal which is concerned with securing the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
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Driving efficiencies and championing water stewardship
In May 2022, Waterscan and J Sainsbury’s plc hosted a working lunch for energy and sustainability managers to demonstrate how the responsible retailer is approaching best-in-class water stewardship.
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Sainsbury’s water journey
Take a look at Sainsbury’s water journey so far.
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Transition time
Five years since market deregulation, it is a transitional time for market governance as the new Strategic Panel reveals six priorities which aim to focus on pace of change, prioritise activities with greatest impacts and solve market frictions.
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How far is far enough with environmental targets?
Defra’s environmental targets proposal to meet future water demand is a welcome step change.
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Time to scrutinise
Most British businesses, unless they Self-Supply or have a non-standard tariff agreement, were subjected to three cost hikes in April.
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TCFD a welcome tide of change
The UK government’s introduction of mandatory Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) reporting is a welcome evolution in corporate responsibility.
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How to build a resilient business through water action
Operational resilience is the ability of an organisation and its infrastructure to avoid, cope and recover from disruption, and its ability to adapt to environmental pressures, demographic change, shifts in customer behaviour and the impacts of climate change.
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The rough with the smooth
The pressing need for more effective communication and collaboration flowed through all presentations and discussions, reflecting continued frustrations in the wider water market on…
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A mixed state of affairs
Traditional market structures and approaches are failing to deliver necessary improvements for water customers and the environment, reveals water market regulator Ofwat in its fourth State of the Market Report.
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Sustainability Leaders Awards 2022 finalist
Waterscan and the Self-Supply community recognised for outstanding water management.
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Mitigating water risks for the public sector
On 22nd September 2021, Waterscan hosted an online meeting of public sector utility and sustainability professionals on mitigating risk and maximising control through water.
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BT saves £1 million on water
BT has achieved one million pounds in savings on its water bills since switching to self-supply in 2019.
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Tea at 3 event: Whitbread’s water journey
On 14th April 2021, Waterscan and Whitbread co-hosted a virtual Tea at 3 event. This was for a privately invited group of senior sustainability, procurement and utilities managers from across the UK’s hospitality, leisure, retail, manufacturing and transport sectors.
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Whitbread’s water journey
Whitbread is the UK’s largest operator of hotels and restaurants. Here, we speak with Yvonne Mason, Environment Manager and Ross Greenhalgh, Energy Manager, about how the company has moved from effective water management to industry-leading stewardship, and most recently to resilience-based forward planning.
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It’s time to bring water to the board table
“If you want to make progress on global challenges, start with water”, advises the World Economic Forum.
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Sustainable savings
Waterscan is delighted to announce that it has saved its non-household water customers £20 million since the market opened in 2017.
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BT: Talking about water
A working lunch with BT’s Utilities Commercial Specialist, Matt Power.
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Plotting your course to net zero
The water industry is the first sector in the UK to commit to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
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Arla acts on water efficiency as it moooves to self-supply
The UK’s number one dairy company, Arla has been granted a licence to self-supply water by market regulator Ofwat.
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David Lloyd Leisure takes the lead on water efficiency
Working in partnership with Waterscan to self-supply water David Lloyd Leisure (DLL) is the first company within the UK’s health and leisure sector to be granted a self-supply licence from…
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Sefton Council elects to Self-Supply water
Sefton Council is expecting to improve its environmental performance and achieve significant efficiency savings by entering a Self-Supply water partnership.
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Sainsbury’s chooses Self-Supply water strategy
Sainsbury’s has applied to water market regulator Ofwat for a Self-Supply licence.
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Self-Supply set to transform water procurement
Ofwat has granted water self-supply licences (WSSLs) to John Lewis PLC and Kellogg’s in a move that will see self-supply operable in two new commercial sectors: retail and food manufacturing.
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Self-Supply applauded for driving change in drinks manufacturing
Marston’s Brewery and Greene King have been judged as the two companies in the drinks sector that are making the biggest impact in the sustainable use of water, both with the support of Waterscan.
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John Lewis PLC first in retail sector to apply for self-supply licence
In August 2019, John Lewis PLC became the first UK retailer to apply to Ofwat for a water and sewerage Self-Supply licence.
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Waterscan partners with Kellogg’s
Waterscan is working with Kellogg’s to lead the food manufacturing sector in driving water efficiency. Kellogg’s has applied for a water and sewerage self-supply licence for its Manchester site, the…
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Waterscan signs landmark declaration on water sustainability
Developed by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, the Catchment Management Declaration is regarded by many as the potential to be a watershed moment in transforming sustainable water management across Britain.
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Ofwat demonstrates support for Self-Supply with three more licences
Three more forward-thinking companies have been granted Self-Supply licences for water and sewerage services, bringing the number of organisations taking this revolutionary route to eight since the market opened just eighteen months ago.
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Stonegate Pub Company and Heineken UK apply for Self-Supply Licences
Stonegate Pub Company and Heineken UK Ltd have applied for Self-Supply licences for water and sewerage services.
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Waterscan and Greene King win at Waste2Zero
At Waterscan, we are very happy and excited to have been announced as the winners of the ‘Waste2Zero’ Best Product, Technology and Innovation Award 2018 in collaboration with Greene King, supporting water sustainability through the water Self-Supply innovation.
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Greene King Self-Supply success
A year on, Greene King are experiencing the benefits of going Self-Supply.
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Elis partners with Waterscan
Global textile, hygiene and facility services giant Elis (formerly Berendsen) has applied to Self-Supply water and wastewater services for its 32 sites across England in support of its work to enhance site level water efficiency.
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Blackpool Council demonstrates public sector leadership
Blackpool Council has been awarded a water Self-Supply licence by Ofwat.
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Whitbread’s ‘Supplies and Services’ Supplier of the Year
Whitbread, the UK’s largest hotel, restaurant and coffee shop operator whose brands include Premier Inn, Costa, Beefeater and Brewers Fayre – has partnered with Waterscan…
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Self-Supply Success: Marston’s makes it three
Marston’s is the third company in England to be granted a licence by Ofwat to supply its own water and wastewater services.
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Coca-Cola Europacific Partners has applied for a Self-Supply licence
CCEP is set to become the first manufacturer to take the innovative path of Self-Supply.
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Whitbread second to gain water Self-Supply licence
Whitbread becomes second to gain water Self-Supply licence in new water market.
Trending insights
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Reflections on World Water Week 2024
World Water Week 2024, which took place a few weeks ago in Stockholm, has left a lasting impact, highlighting the vital role of collaboration in achieving sustainable water management.
-
Self-Supply Users Briefing: Driving collaboration
The Self-Supply community met for a quarterly update briefing, hosted by Waterscan, on 12th September 2024.
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Addressing water scarcity in the Hospitality sector
As highlighted by Will Silverwood, Head of Sustainability at long-term Waterscan customer Whitbread, this challenge is particularly pressing for industries heavily reliant on water, such as hospitality.
Our customers
Customer testimonials
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Saving such a huge amount of money in such a short amount of time is a fantastic achievement and I’m very proud of our multi-layered approach to water procurement and stewardship which has led to this success to date. With Waterscan’s help, we have tackled our long-unread water meters head-on and used this newfound revelatory data to identify and resolve a large number of underground leaks across our estate.
Matthew Power
Utilities Commercial Specialist for BT
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This is a great opportunity for Marston’s, enabling us to drive efficiency and cost whilst working towards reducing consumption through our managed sites and breweries. It also gives us the platform to trial innovation and become an active partner in the market.
Andy Kershaw
Head Of Group Facilities for Marston’s
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We are looking forward to building on this successful experience to date, which we believe delivers competitive advantage in both corporate social responsibility and commercial terms. We have seen reports of a slow customer response and questionable impacts of the open water market, but this has not been our experience. While self-supply was a leap into unchartered waters, it has delivered better than expected results in a short timeframe.
Gavin Worthington
Senior Purchasing Manager at Greene King
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We are looking forward to the future opportunities the self-supply licence offers us in managing our water usage responsibly. We value the expertise Waterscan bring in this specific space within the market and look forward to working in partnership to deliver our sustainability plan.
Wayne Boden
Senior Manager, Environment at Coca-Cola European Partners
With water under control,
it’s time to make things happen.
Get in touch with one of our experts now.