Clean running water is a basic need for any business, wherever they are in the world. But with energy prices rising, businesses have been under even more pressure than usual to cut expenses, save money, and become more efficient.

This year the UN’s World Water Day is focusing on ‘making the invisible visible’. And while many people are focusing on energy consumption and prices in the current climate, water usage is equally important for businesses. Reducing water usage within your business also has the power to help people in less fortunate areas, in terms of water supply.

Let’s take a look at how becoming more efficient can help your business, and billions of people around the world.

Monitor your consumption

The average person in the UK uses 145 litres of water daily. That is a total of 840 billion each year! But while this may sound pretty dire, there is some good news. Lowering our usage can be a simple matter of changing a few habits or business practices.

The first step towards cutting any waste is knowing how much you are using, and how you are using it. This information is vital in locating problem areas and tracking how effective your improvements are. At Monarch, we offer a free, no obligation water audit to help you work out where you can make changes. Once you identify areas where you are using the most water, you can tackle this – and continue to monitor your consumption, to ensure that this reduction continues. Get in touch today to find out more.

Highlight inefficiencies

Energy bills and carbon emissions are both affected by how much water we use. Reducing the pressure on our national water network can help to cut down on leaks, as well as lowering the costs involved in expanding the network. With our increasing population pushing the demand up every year, the time to act is now.

Even a small water leak or dripping tap can result in a huge amount of water waste, and in turn, unnecessary costs. While this may not seem important to business owners who are busy dealing with several other responsibilities, repairing these inefficiencies could result in significantly savings. Leaks can also cause damage if left unchecked – so the earlier you find them, the better.

Engage with staff and clients

Successful changes start with each of us individually. Getting your team or staff on board, and engaged with reducing water waste, can help to ensure that you get the most out of your waste reduction strategy.

Incorporating initiatives within the workplace gives staff the chance to work towards sustainability, with added incentives. Monthly challenges are a great way of involving employees in the business’s sustainability targets, with the bonus of a prize.

Reducing unnecessary water use and waste will also give your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) credentials a much-needed boost. This is becoming increasingly important for businesses that are looking to future-proof themselves, and grow their client base.

How is the UN taking action?

Two billion people around the world lack access to safely managed drinking water. And over 5 billion lack safely-managed sanitation, and basic hygiene. With added water stress due to climate change, and economies that were broken during the pandemic period these numbers are continuing to grow.

The UN has drawn out 6 steps that will help countries to reach ambitious but achievable targets. These steps are mainly focused on ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation around the world. With 2.3 billion people living in water-stressed countries, it is essential that water is not wasted elsewhere.

129 countries are still not on track to attain sustainably managed water resources by 2030. For this to be possible the current rate of progress needs to double. One target is to focus on efficient water use across all sectors. This is in the hope that the number of people suffering from water scarcity will reduce significantly by 2030.

How can we help?

With energy bills rising astronomically in today’s climate, many people are forgetting the impact that water can have on finances.

At Monarch, we are on hand to assist you with reducing water costs. We provide a free, no obligation water audit. We’ll negotiate with suppliers on your behalf and take back control of your complicated water invoices, with our industry standard-setting validation service.

We have been able to save our customers hundreds – even thousands – of pounds with our comprehensive list of services. Carrying out water audits, fitting water meters, identifying areas of possible savings, and procuring new contracts are among the ways we can help businesses cut costs.

Get in touch to find out how Monarch can help you increase your efficiency and become more sustainable.