Greene King saves 304m pints of water

Marking an apparent first in the pub and restaurant arena, pub retailer and brewer Greene King has worked closely with a water management consultancy – Waterscan – to deliver significant efficiencies in water consumption.

The result is a £900,000 water cost saving with consumption savings equivalent to 304 million pints, according to the firm. The initiative, which scooped the Water Efficient Project of the Year award at the 2015 Energy Awards, is said to highlight how accurate data and a clear strategy can result in significant financial and sustainability benefits.

Waterscan used its online water management system, Waterline© in its strategy for Greene King. This establishes a clear picture of performance, says Waterscan, and is extremely helpful for multi-site organisations since the data generated facilitates the identification of high consumption sites versus a site appropriate baseline.  Such sites can then be audited to fully understand where the issues lie, and then at a corporate level, it’s possible to analyse risks and opportunities for improvement. Finally, by considering a variety of operational scenarios and deploying the latest technologies, Waterscan proposes the optimum strategy in line with business goals and continues to monitor performance through its Waterline system.

1. Assessment and validation of current position and baseline data.

2. Clarification and definition of targets with agreed KPIs.

3. Physical assessment of opportunities to reduce consumption.

4. Delivery of reduction through a multi-faceted approach.

5. Clear demonstration and reporting of reductions achieved.

6. Monitoring, management and maintenance of target.

149 audits of high-consuming pubs were conducted by Waterscan technicians and these highlighted opportunities for greater efficiency.  Waterscan identified and fixed leaks on supply and internal pipework, fixed faulty water storage tanks, taps, urinal controls and toilets and also resolved shared supply and meter reading issues. Overall, Greene King’s water consumption was reduced by 173,000m³   (12.13%) – or 304 million pints over a three year period versus a 2012 baseline across this part of their estate.