Water management
Introduction
Water is a precious natural resource and it is important to use it in a sustainable manner in order to meet current and future demand. Today, our water is under threat due to rising global populations, industrialisation, pollution and the effects of climate change, so it is important to use it wisely.
Our approach
Whitbread's approach to water management incorporates three key strands:
- Identify and remedy water leaks;
- Accurately measure water consumption; and
- Roll out water-saving initiatives within the group.
Water consumption
The amount of water consumed across the Whitbread estate decreased from 3,671,712 m3 in 2007/08 to 3,287,606 m3 in 2008/09 which is a decrease of 10%.
Initiatives
To follow are some of the initiatives employed within the group.
Identify and remedy water leaks
Some water leaks are easily visible and obvious to employees and are therefore fixed immediately. However, other water leaks are hidden from sight and can go undetected for quite some time. Water leaks can be costly with one drip per second wasting around four litres a day. Systems to monitor water consumption and charges have been fully implemented across all brands, allowing us to identify and remedy major leaks in those estates.
Measuring and monitoring
Water bills are monitored to ensure consumption is within expected boundaries and all charges are correct. This allows us to measure our consumption overall and by site. Monitoring our water consumption in this way allows us to determine the effects of any water-saving initiatives that Whitbread employs.
Water management systems
We have continued to install Water Management Systems in our male washrooms. These simple water-saving devices achieve a payback period of circa six months and are attached to urinal cisterns in order to regulate flushing according to usage. Infra red sensors detect the number of washroom users and adjust the flush rate accordingly. To date, water management systems have been installed in circa 70 standalone hotels and circa 390 restaurants.
Dual flush toilets
Our new-build hotels are fitted with dual flush toilets as standard practice. This is a simple but effective measure to reduce the water required for each flush to a maximum of 6 litres.
Aerated showerheads
Aerated showerheads are installed in all of our new-build hotels. These reduce the volume of water passing through them by circa 20%, whilst still providing a powerful shower experience, by adding air to the flow of water. The Company is currently reviewing the best method of rolling these out within the remainder of its hotels.
Pot wash arms
Within our restaurant kitchens we have pot wash stations where thick food debris is washed off plates and saucepans before they go into dishwashers. This process helps to prevent blockages occurring inside the dishwashers. We have been conducting trials with water-efficient pot wash arms, with the aim to reduce the water consumption of this key kitchen equipment. If successful, the new model will be rolled out within the estate.
