Monday 18 September 2023

Workplace and family event catering company serves up water-saving success, through work with Water Plus

It’s expected to deliver an annual water-saving of thousands of litres of water a year, lowering utility costs for Applebees Catering, who are specialists for workplace and family events based in Hinckley and cover North Warwickshire and West Leicestershire. The growing business also has two “Beestro Box” food trailers, that also work in other areas of England.

The project that business water retailer Water Plus developed was funded by Severn Trent, under its Green Recovery programme and approach. Severn Trent’s business water efficiency audit programme is one of six ambitious and large-scale Severn Trent Green Recovery projects and provides businesses with free water audits, advice, products, and repairs through its partner, business water retailer Water Plus.

Water Plus is also highlighting water efficiency and water pipe messages, to help organisations of all sizes - under their #BeWiseOnWater awareness campaign, including on its online Help area here – and on its business social media channels.

Following a site water audit by Water Plus, four tap aerators were fitted on four taps cutting hot water use from 25 litres per minute to 3 litres per minute – and reducing cold water use from 25 litres per minute to 3 litres per minute, cutting water use on just the taps by 88%. It would also see an energy saving as less hot water is flowing through the taps in the kitchen and elsewhere at the site.

Charlotte Cottrill, Director of Catering at Applebees Catering, said: “The support – and water saving advice from Water Plus - has been really helpful, particularly having the water-saving devices installed quickly, efficiently and safely at our business. They worked around our operation and there has been a noticeable reduction in water use through our taps, with these adding up to savings on water costs – allowing us to invest in other areas of our business. It’s great to know the high-quality food we produce is at a location that has had a water audit and where water is used more efficiently for all we do for our customers, every week.”

An overall water saving of more than 90% was seen in the space of just a week, based on the reduction in daily water on the site’s water meter, from reads taken before and after the kit was installed. Two flush savers were also installed, saving 1 litre of water per flush on each toilet.

The project was managed by the Advanced Services Team at Water Plus, who provide Value Added Services (VAS), including leak detection and repair, water audits along with water efficiency advice and projects. Sites that could benefit from water-saving steps were identified by the Water Plus team, who also searched for the best water-efficient devices that would have the maximum impact.

Sophie Evans-Young, Customer Demand Lead at Severn Trent, said: “We want to help local businesses as we know times have been tough recently. As part of our Green Recovery programme we are working to make our region an even better place for businesses to thrive, by offering free water efficiency audits to businesses across Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire.

“We have partnered with Water Plus to enable us to deliver these audits, and to date we have seen some businesses save up to £6,000 off their water bill. So please get in touch with us.

If you think your business, or a business you know, could benefit from a water efficiency audit in the Severn Trent region, visit Severn Trent’s webpage to register your interest.

Scott MacIndeor, Head of Advanced Services at Water Plus, which is the largest business water retailer supplying more than 710,000 customer supply points in England and Scotland, said: “Even small steps make a big difference when it comes to cutting water waste and identifying weak points on your site water pipes and leaks - along with other opportunities to save on running costs.

“It’s been great to work with a wide range of sites, including Applebees Catering. Significant water savings – and reduction in overall running costs at sites – have been delivered through some small measures that are making a substantial difference.

“Looking closer at your water use at your site and your consumption data is worth the time to help lower the amount you’re spending on water, cut energy use and help reduce impacts on the environment. So, it’s important for all organisations – large and small - to regularly check their water use – at least once a month, if their water meter is safe to access, to see where opportunities may be and reduce risks from issues on site pipes.

“Small, low-cost things like tap aerators can cut hot water and cold water use. If less water needs heating, then less energy needs to be used - so there are less carbon emissions, unless your power is from 100% certified renewable energy already.”

An initial site visit and audit was carried out in December 2022 at the caterer’s location, in the Hinckley area of Leicestershire, with kit installed in January 2023 – and meter readings in 2023 showing the saving.

Water use reduced by 2,000 litres in a week, according to meter readings taken as part of the project.

Applebees Catering is also looking to introduce solar panels on their “Beestro Box” food vans to power catering equipment and water pumps. They are looking to fit the first panels to one of these this year.

More information about the steps to help the environment that Water Plus is taking is on Future Net Zero here – and on the Water Plus website: www.water-plus.co.uk/better-ways-with-water/ .

If your business or organisation wants to explore the benefits and savings available to reduce running costs, email  advancedservices@water-plus.co.uk and include the subject heading “Wise on water”.

Water Plus provides water and wastewater services for organisations in England and Scotland, including billing, customer service and water efficiency advice for the most customer water supplies points in England.

Further info: Flow rates on the taps at the catering business taken before and after tap aerators installed.