Edinburgh-based water retailer, Business Stream, has saved Scotland’s public sector over £2.2m in water costs during the second year of a three-year contract.
The financial savings equates to 1.4 million litres of water being saved — the equivalent of 558 Olympic-sized swimming pools — achieved through a combination of the retailer’s water efficiency and leak detection services. In addition, the reduction in water use has also delivered energy savings, helping the sector to save 586,000 tonnes of carbon — the equivalent of removing 122 cars off the road.
Jo Dow, Chief Executive of Business Stream, commented: “We’re really pleased to have generated significant savings for Scotland’s public sector for a second year in a row. Through implementing pro-active water efficiency measures we’ve helped to reduce costs and deliver environmental efficiencies, supporting the public sector’s wider sustainability ambitions. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with the sector to deliver further benefits in the year ahead.”
Business Stream, one of the largest water retailers in the UK, was awarded the Scottish Government Public Sector Water and Waste Water Framework contract in early 2020. The contract, worth around £200m over three years, covers Scottish public sector bodies including local authorities, NHS Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue, Police Scotland, Scottish Prison Service, universities and colleges and Scottish Government.
A spokesperson from the Scottish Procurement and Property Directorate utilities team, said: “Business Stream has worked with the public sector to improve the efficiency and management of our water resource. This practical approach has reduced water consumption and provided financial savings for public sector customers of the Water and Waste Water Framework. Reducing cost and carbon impact is essential for supporting Scotland’s green economic recovery and helping us on our journey to a Net Zero Nation.”
The water retailer recently announced that it had delivered nearly £100,000 of funding to nine public sector initiatives through its annual Public Sector Scotland (PSS) Water Efficiency Fund.
This year’s successful candidates of the Fund include a Glasgow City Council scheme aiming to help young children learn about the importance of saving water; an innovative water capture and recirculation project at the University of Glasgow; and the introduction of rainwater harvesting at NHS Tayside. In addition to providing funding, Business Stream will also support the delivery of each project.
Header image shows Jo Dow, Chief Executive of Business Stream.
