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Delivering water-saving solutions for new housing developments
In our supply area, new properties are expected to use an additional 83.03 million litres of water a day by 2032. To tackle this, in 2021 Affinity Water and its partners launched Project Zero, funded by Ofwat and Nesta, with the goal to achieve Water Neutrality.
Water neutrality means when new homes are built, no extra water is taking from the local supplies. With challenges like climate change and population growth, water neutrality isn’t just a goal, it’s a blueprint for a sustainable future.
Our first trial was at the IWNL NAV Site, Bidwell West in Houghton Regis (What is a NAV?) where we delivered a behaviour change campaign to 908 properties (Bidwell Water Savers link here). We also saved water by retrofitting and fixing leaks in local businesses. This is called "offsetting" and played a key role in the project. For example, fixing an overflowing toilet helped a local school save over 7,000 litres a day.
The results were fantastic with Bidwell West not only becoming water neutral, but water positive, the first of its kind. We are now putting 12,000 litres more water back into the environment than before the new homes were built.
We're continuing to work with house builders, NAVs, local authorities, technology manufacturers and suppliers, behavioural change specialists, and neighbouring water companies. We will explore water neutrality through water re-use systems and water saving devices. We are sharing what we have learned so others can do the same, in the UK and beyond. New developments can now aim for water neutrality, or even better, water positivity!
Benefits of Water Neutrality
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- Customers will have lower bills due to their reduced water use
- The local water levels in aquifers, rivers, and streams will not be impacted by water-neutral housing developments in the future
- This helps us future-proof the local water network against population growth
- There are significant carbon emissions saved from not treating or pumping the saved water
- The blueprint allows other water companies to create water neutrality at scale and the smaller water providers (*NAVs) will benefit from better access to the market and strengthened industry partnerships.
Steering Committee
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The project is overseen by an Independent Steering Committee, made up of professionals and academics who bring a wealth of experience and relationships to draw on. The members ensure the deliverability and credibility of the project. We meet regularly to review progress and discuss any emerging challenges. To learn more about our Steering Committee members, please read their bios.
If you have any questions about Water Neutrality or would like to get involved please contact us: dx@affinitywater.co.uk
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