Despite the importance of water sustainability and increasing Government recognition of its importance, statistics still paint a depressing picture:

• Each one of us uses 70% more water than 30 years ago.

• Thames Water leakage due to London’s Victorian-built sewer equates to 300

Olympic-sized swimming pools a day

• UK drought condition – lowest rainfall for 85 years.

However, if everyone turned off the tap when brushing their teeth, collectively in one week we’d save enough water to fill the O2 Arena (Millennium Dome).

Water sustainability

With our underground resources threatened by increasing consumption (water usage has doubled in the last 20 years); water supply is fast becoming an unpredictable, unevenly distributed resource. Therefore, consumption habits must change. More effective water utilisation and waste reduction is essential.

Water companies are investing in improving the necessary infrastructure and reducing the hemorrhage of mains water losses.

Historically in the UK, we have used domestic water control product solutions in commercial applications where both usage patterns and user demands are quite different. This is in part related to the historical use of low-pressure systems.

Today’s building designers have a new set of design criteria for commercial buildings including:

• Modern, aesthetic styling

• User safety/comfort

• Proven design/product innovation

• Durability – long service life

• Water efficient - lowering water/energy costs – delivering value for money

• Buildability – simple to install, easy to use.

Solutions

Significant savings can be achieved, as the following typical applications in commercial buildings in the key areas of water utilisation, basins and shower controls indicate.

Extensively using the appropriate water management solutions products in public buildings, hospitals, sports and leisure facilities, motorway services and education establishments, can prevent water wastage - and improve water diversity by automatically regulating the quantity of water delivered to wash basins, showers, WCs or urinals.

Basin control

Increasingly, the cost of water supply and drainage will impact on the bottom line of business. Consider that hot water costs us between five and eight times the cost of cold water with energy, storage and treatment costs, then the impact on margins of high water users can be dramatic.

The traditional basin tap designed for the low-pressure applications is a water waster in today’s modern commercial plumbing systems. However, an alternative example like Tempostop is a cost effective time flow basin tap with a pre-set flow rate at six litres per minute, offering ease of use and eliminating risk of cross contamination (no hand contact after washing). Water savings of over 50%, with equivalent energy savings, can be achieved.

Another example is the Tempostop AB anti blocking tap. Flow only commences after the push button is released preventing deliberate flooding of the washroom. The flow rate is adjustable without dismounting the mechanism of cutting off the water supply.

In addition, there is a new generation of electronic controls providing a total hygiene solution with non-touch operation to prevent cross contamination and reduce the risk of transferring harmful – even life-threatening bacteria/viruses. An infrared sensor monitors local hands presence. When the hands are removed, water stops automatically. Simple to install, water savings of up to 70% are achievable.

Anti-Legionella devices

Some electronic basin taps and mixers now incorporate an anti-Legionella feature, which provides an automatic duty flush cycle for one minute if the tap has not been operated in the previous 24 hours.

Table 2 gives an overview of water savings compared with the traditional classic basin tap at 2.5 bar:

A. Classic basin tap/mixer, without flow regulation

B. Time flow basin tap/mixer with integral flow regulation at six litres per minute (adjustable) and auto close after nominal 15 seconds run time.

C. Electronic basin tap or mixer, with preset flow rate at six litres per minute, automatic close on removal of hands.

Safe hot water temperature control

A thermostatic mixing valve (TMV), independently tested and certified under BuildCert’s TMV3 scheme, must be used to provide safe hot water temperatures and prevent scalding.

Shower control

The UK has seen massive growth in the installation of thermostatic shower valves in new and existing domestic properties. Consumers have identified the benefits of peace of mind through improved safety and comfort. This is largely due to our traditional use of low- pressure water storage systems.

However, the use of domestic thermostatic shower valves in the commercial environment comes at a cost. Designed to deliver high performance at low pressure in the domestic sector, in commercial applications (where typically system pressures are 2.0 – 3.0 bar) these devices will increase:

• Water/energy costs

• Size/capacity of hot water generators, pipe work

• Drainage sizes to take away excessive water supply.

One example is the Avance Elite thermostatic shower valve, tested and certified to NHS Estates Model engineering specification D08 and incorporating flow regulation at nine litres per minute.

For group shower applications in schools and sports clubs a device like the Sporting Shower Panel is appropriate. The pre-assembled shower panel, finished in brush aluminium, has an integrated anti vandal shower head and time flow control (set for a nominal 30 second) and eight litres per min flow regulator.

Table 1 gives us an overview of the water savings available as compared with the traditional Classic thermostatic shower valve at 2.5 bar:

A. Classic thermostatic shower valve without flow regulation

B. Classic thermostatic shower valve with flow regulation at 10 Litres per minute

C. Time flow shower control with nominal time 30 seconds and regulated flow at 8 litres per minute

D. Thermostatic electronic shower control, combines full thermostatic performance with infra red on/off control for maximum water efficiency.

WC and Urinal Controls

Urinal flushing systems can be major water users. However, self-closing and non-touch infrared mains flushing controls solutions provide a reduced hygiene risk, eliminating the need for high maintenance water flush cisterns. Building owners gain an improved return by increasing lettable floor space.

BREEAM Impact

Buildings account for 50% of the UK’s Carbon Dioxide emissions. BREEAM’s environmental assessment initiative enables Government departments, and private sector building owners/designers to review and improve the environmental performance of a building’s design.

Effective water management alone is not the answer, but it can make a significant contribution to meeting BREEAM’s objectives like reducing energy/running costs and delivering a Green Building which is more attractive to potential clients and customers. It can also help to create a better, healthier working environment for staff and building users.

Heritage

Effective water management integrates water utilisation, hygiene control and safety. With the increasing cost of water it will significantly improve the bottom line. Water is a common heritage but everyone must save it and use it wisely. The issues are real but they can - and must - be addressed.

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