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| Waterwise enews – Monday 7 July 2008 |
| Welcome from Jacob Tompkins, Director of Waterwise |
 ‘Welcome to our new stakeholder newsletter, which aims to keep
you informed about Waterwise’s activities. This year has been extremely busy for Waterwise so far. Our media coverage from the ‘Be Water Wise with Ariel’ campaign has been widespread, with articles appearing in six different consumer home magazines for three consecutive months. Our partnership with Muslim Aid has enabled us to take our work into community groups in the London area to discuss water efficiency, as well as provided us with the opportunity to discuss water saving on ‘Let’s Talk’ on the Islam Channel S. Our research team is busy working on a number of projects, including building an evidence base for water efficiency based on the trials conducted by the water companies, updating our components of domestic demand chart, and several projects related to the ‘water-energy nexus’. In addition, we’ve made some website updates recently so please visit www.waterwise.org.uk to find out more about what has been going on.’
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| The Waterwise Evidence Base for large-scale water efficiency |
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As part of our work for the Water Saving Group, Waterwise is currently building an Evidence Base for Large-Scale Water Efficiency. The project involves an analysis of about twenty large-scale water efficiency projects being run by the water companies, with an aim to produce a set of scenarios for water company efficiency programmes, based upon best available knowledge. These can then be used to inform water company investment in relation to the Periodic Review. Read the March Interim Report…
The project will report final findings in October, but a second interim report will be published at the end of this month.
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| Ranking of washing machines and dishwashers |
In order to continue to help consumers make more informed choices on which washing machines and dishwashers are the most water efficient, Waterwise has updated the rankings by water efficiency of these machines. Read more…
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| Energy and hot water |
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On World Environment Day, Waterwise urged everybody to save water and energy, to cut down on carbon emissions and to protect the environment. The average family’s annual water consumption results in as much CO2 as two transatlantic flights. Read more…
Waterwise is also working on several projects that are examining the relationship between water and energy. The first is a social research project examining energy savers’ attitudes to the water efficient shower as an energy saving measure, which is due to report in September.
Stage one findings from our ‘Water and Energy Implications of Personal Washing Behaviours and Technologies’ project, sponsored by the Energy Saving Trust, will report in August. Stage two, which will include house-based monitoring and social research, will kick-off with a stakeholder meeting in September. For more information, please Contact Us
Read more…
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| Be water wise with Ariel |
 Waterwise has joined forces with Ariel to raise awareness of water stress in the UK and provide consumers with easy practical ways of saving water. One in four of us are still using the pre-wash setting on our washing machines – wasting more than 6 billion litres per year. If everyone stopped pre-washing we could save enough water to fill more than 6000 Olympic sized swimming pools. Read more…
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| National water efficiency advertorial |
Eleven water companies, Waterwise and CCWater have teamed up to provide water efficiency messages on a national scale. Advertorial has been placed in M&S, Homebase and Asda in-store magazines reaching a target audience of around 10 million people across the UK. In addition, readers are directed to www.biggreensmile.com where they are able to take action and purchase water efficient products.
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| New Waterwise Marque products |
Eleven new water efficient products have been awarded the Waterwise Marque bringing the total number of indoors and outdoor products with the Marque to 26. The Waterwise Marque helps buyers make more informed choices on which water using products to purchase. If you have a water efficient product and would like to enter for the Marque please Contact Us
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| ‘Love water love life’ campaign with Muslim Aid |
 Waterwise has joined forces with Muslim Aid in a campaign to spread awareness of the conditions faced by people in developing countries and provide useful tips on how to conserve water. Key campaign tactics include an educational leaflet, an awareness raising walk across London and a live 90 minute interview on Channel S ‘Let’s Talk’ programme.
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| Blueprint for Water |
 The Blueprint for Water coalition is calling for large-scale water efficiency projects to reduce demand for water, coupled with initiatives to stop pollution at source. Last Wednesday 2 July, the Blueprint for Water coalition presented to the Environment Minister, Phil Woolas at the House of Commons, ‘Water companies should use their current planning and expenditure review as an opportunity to provide better protection for the environment and tackle rising prices for water customers.’ Read more…
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| The Thames programme |
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 As part of the HSBC Climate Partnership, WWF, with Waterwise as a key partner, has developed a programme to address the issues affecting the freshwater environment of the Thames region and the effect climate change is likely to have on it. As part of this, Waterwise is facilitating a Thames Forum. The Thames Forum aims to bring together existing representative groups in the Thames Basin to provide a common voice to focus grassroots views and influence the high policy framework. If your organisation is based in the Thames Basin area and you are interested in attending the first meeting please Contact Us
The first major output from the WWF programme is a Thames Basin Vulnerability Report, which is due for publication on the 16th July. To receive a copy, either printed or as a PDF, please Contact Us
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| Waterwise conference |
The Waterwise conference took place in April this year at Keble College in Oxford and was a great success with over 200 delegates attending. High level speakers included the Minister for the Environment, key regulators, practitioners from water companies and government representatives from the UK and speakers from North America, Europe and Australia. View presentations and photos of the event.
If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at next year’s Waterwise conference please Contact Us
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| Coolaworld |
 Waterwise has teamed up with Coolaworld – an online shopping site which provides cool credits in return for purchases to use on planet-saving projects or cool products and services that help you to reduce carbon emissions. The partnership was featured in Marie Claire in June this year.
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| Waterwise East |
Work is progressing on a water efficiency design guide for developers, in conjunction with BRE, Anglian Water, Grohe and Essex and Suffolk Water. This will be supported by a water efficiency planning guidance which is being produced in conjunction with the Environment Agency, Norwich City Council, Huntingdon District Council and the East of England Water Partnership. Waterwise East is on the committee organising the conference, Water Efficiency in the Low Carbon Economy. Waterwise East has been involved in the drafting of BS 8515 Code of Practice for Rainwater Harvesting Systems which is currently in its public consultation phase. Visit Waterwise East…
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| Waterwise in Scotland |
Waterwise welcomes Gail Walker who started work at Waterwatch Scotland in April this year. Gail’s work at Waterwatch Scotland will be integral to supporting Waterwise’s policy and public relations activities in Scotland. Gail will work closely with the Saving Water in Scotland Network.
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| Waterwise team climb Cadair Idris for WaterAid |
 On Saturday 7 June 2008 Waterwise climbed Cadair Idris in Wales to raise money for WaterAid. The team walked a 12 mile round-trip up the 893m mountain. The sun was shining, and it was a fantastic way to raise over £1150! Thank you to everyone who sponsored the walk! If you would still like to donate money, please click here. The sponsorship page will be live until September 2008. View photos of the climb…
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| Events |
18 July 2008 - The Watersave Network, in association with BRE, one day annual event - urban water demand management
9 August 2008 - Hampshire Water Festival
30 October 2008 - Water Efficiency in the Low Carbon Economy Conference
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| National Water Conservation Group |
The National Water Conservation Group met on 23 April. Read more…
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| Water Saving Association |
The Water Saving Association (WSA) is comprised of members whose primary business is the provision of water saving products and services. Our members serve both domestic consumers and businesses in a bid to help all UK water users reduce their water usage, both by increasing efficiency and eliminating wastage. All members of The Water Saving Association abide by a Code of Practice that commits them to a set of criteria and high level of product and service standards, ensuring that customers can buy with confidence from WSA members. For more details about the association and how to join please visit, www.wsauk.org.uk
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| Case study - Essex and Suffolk Water – H2Eco pilot project |
A lot of water efficiency work is going on in the UK at the moment. Each edition, we will highlight one example of best practice work. If you have a case study for this section, please Contact Us
As part of the H2eco project in Chelmsford, Essex and Suffolk Water have fitted almost 1500 households with water saving products. These include an ecoBeta dual flush retrofit, save a flush cistern displacement device, tap inserts for basin and kitchen taps, a waterbutt, water saving crystals, a hosegun, an aerated showerhead, a bath measure and a children’s detective pack. Results will be available shortly. Read more…
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