DCLG’s Water Savings to Exceed Public Sector Targets
About DCLG
The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) was created in May 2006, replacing the former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). Working with other government departments, local councils, businesses, the voluntary sector, and communities themselves, DCLG aims to create prosperous, inclusive and sustainable communities - places where people want to live, that promote opportunity and a better quality of life for all.
Sustainable communities are about things that matter to people: decent homes at prices people can afford, good public transport, schools, hospitals, and shops people having their say on the way their neighbourhood is run; and a clean, safe environment.
Comprehensive Water Services Contract with ADSM
This provided the government department with:
- Creation of a centralised bill management database
- Water bill validation and tariff analysis technology, as appropriate for each site
- Installation and supply of leading-edge, water-efficiency communities for the 21st century
- Environmental certification
- M&T (monitoring & targeting) detailed reports on a monthly basis, to confirm and analyse water savings
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Annual maintenance of installed water-saving equipment
Water Management Review
Like all government departments, DCLG has water efficiency targets. When they decided to review the service they were receiving for Water Management and look at other potential suppliers, they approached ADSM.
Via ADSM's website DCLG carried out a Water Health Check which showed that, compared to national benchmarks, the DCLG buildings were overconsuming water.
Knowing that there was room for improvement where water consumption was concerned, in 2006 DCLG signed with ADSM to a Comprehensive Water Services Contract, covering four DCLG buildings in London.
After the installation of state-of-the-art water saving technologies, DCLG were on their way to substantial water usage savings resulting in financial savings. ADSM also felt that DCLG could potentially make further financial savings on their water tariff with their existing water supplier. Having studied DCLG's previous 12 months' water billing data and carried out Tariff Analysis, ADSM found additional financial savings. Projected water savings for the first year under the Water Services Contract - 27%
Future measures
DCLG is looking in to further enhancements to their water management service with ADSM by implementing an Automatic Meter Reading system. This is an excellent method for detection of anomalies in water consumption and an early indicator of increased consumption due to leaks and failed equipment.
ADSM is also investigating the potential of a rainwater harvesting system. Collected rainwater can be stored and then distributed on demand to supply points such as washrooms, toilet cisterns and for irrigation, resulting in further reductions in DCLG's mains supply water usage and helping to meet their sustainability targets.