The amount of water available on earth is finite. We cannot produce any more!
What is available is simply recycled in the atmosphere, in the oceans, rivers and beneath the earth's surface. This is known as the hydrologic cycle.
The process of extracting, treating and delivering water for human use and consumption is becoming more and more difficult, and more expensive.
We'll return to this subject in a future article, but for now here are a few facts and figures to think about:
Figures published by Ofwat, the UK water industry regulator, show that 22% of water put into the system by suppliers is lost through leaks - and that figure has hardly changed in 10 years.
Watt-Knots believes the true leakage figure to be much higher than this. Our analysis for clients often highlights water leaks that the water companies are not aware of, but their customers are still paying for! We have found client sites where considerably more water is being lost (and paid for!) in leaks than water consumed! Whilst the cost of repairs is almost always borne by the customer, the payback is often just a matter of weeks or months.
It's also very important to remember that if a water company discovers a leak in a customers pipework, generally the supplier is able to insist it be repaired. If the customer fails to carry out a repair, the water company will usually have the work carried out - and pass the cost on to the customer, at a rate that they decide.
*****
If you would like to see how we might help with your water (and waste water) supply arrangements, with a view to identifying leaks, reducing consumption or considering rainwater harvesting, please email us at
solutions@watt-knots.co.uk with your name and 'phone number and we'll be in touch.
