Checking that your water consumption is normal for your business is important in the current climate, with drought conditions and water shortages becoming more likely across the UK. Making sure you’re using the right amount of water means you’ll save money and waste less water, so there’ll be more to go around later down the line when businesses need to grow and thrive.
But what does ‘normal’ look like? Every business is different, so what’s normal for one won’t necessarily be the same for another. Understanding your usual monthly consumption can help you identify any potential issues so you can address them sooner. You can do this by downloading your historic consumption via My Account.
That being said, your business could already be paying more money for what appears to be normal consumption. It’s estimated that up to 26% of businesses could have an unseen leak that’s draining your bottom line. Non-household customers such as schools, cinemas and restaurant chains can also have a higher consumption than necessary if they have uncontrolled urinals that flush overnight, wasting thousands of litres of water a day.
It’s worth checking your water consumption to make sure you’re within tolerance, so here’s a few ways you can start.
Take regular meter reads
Water retailers will often only read your water meter every 6 months, and a lot can happen in that time. You could be wasting water through leaks and paying for it for months without realising. Signing up for My Account means you’ll be able to see your historic consumption, know what’s normal for your business and pinpoint any unusual activity. If it’s safe to do so, taking regular reads means you’re more likely to notice a spike in consumption and, if it’s a leak, you can address it quickly and efficiently. The more meter reads you take and submit to My Account, the more accurate your bill will be too.
We offer devices called Limpet Readers, which take regular reads automatically every month and upload them straight into our portal. If you don’t have time to take reads or can’t easily access your meter, this could be a viable solution for your business.
Calculate your consumption
If you take two meter reads a week apart while your business is open and operating as usual, you can calculate your average daily consumption and take action if it doesn’t look normal. You can also take a reading when you leave for the day and then one again in the morning – if water has gone through the meter and your business doesn’t operate or use water overnight, this could indicate a leak on the premises.
Test for leaks
You can complete a Leak and Flow test if you think your business might have a leak, and we offer Leakage Find and Fix for those that do. Larger businesses could also benefit from our Automatic Meter Readers, as they will monitor your consumption so you’ll know if something changes.
We offer a range of services designed to help you monitor, manage and if needed, reduce your water consumption. Contact us to find out more about how your business can save water and money.
