Water-smart strategies help businesses save energy, cut carbon and boost efficiency

Water Plus is a Business Reporter client

Why smart water management is a hidden opportunity to help businesses stay efficient and cut costs, carbon and energy use in turbulent times.

Amid today’s evolving business challenges, effective water management is an overlooked factor that’s helping organisations in the know improve efficiency, reduce costs and meet sustainability goals.

Water Plus, a leading business water retailer, is empowering businesses across sectors with solutions that cut water use, energy consumption and carbon emissions, and which save time – helping them focus more on growing their presence, influence, customer base and results.

The company is continually driving efficiencies and enhancements for businesses it works with in England and Scotland, while its customer team gain National Qualifications in Customer Service as part of its customer-centric approach.

And more businesses are moving back to Water Plus – responding to its industry leading knowledge, experience and services, and the results it’s delivering for customers.

Reducing costs through a better understanding of business water

With wholesaler water price increases hitting businesses from April 2025, the Water Plus team have increased their work with customers to help reduce wholesaler water costs at sites, by sharing their knowledge, experience and insight.

This customer-first approach has already seen one business benefit from a£21,000 annual cost reduction in wholesaler charges for 2025 identified, after further analysis of a portfolio of more than 200 sites and the actions of the Water Plus team.

Strong customer support and the introduction of effective water management approaches means businesses across sectors are seeing more benefits. Using its comprehensive range of efficiency services, Water Plus delivered a 37 per cent average water saving on estimated annual water use across a number of sites.¹

Alongside reducing running costs, Water Plus is also cutting hot water use at sites, saving even more energy. Plus, even small actions – from changing approaches to water use to increasing knowledge on how it can be used more effectively – can also reduce the carbon emissions linked to all water used at business sites, which helps power decarbonisation progress.

How customer water partnerships are helping business growth

One national food company has chosen Water Plus as its partner for business water services, including billing, meter reading and customer service, as it looks to expand.

Sohel Patel, Managing Director of Halal Kitchen Ltd, which manufactures and distributes chilled and frozen foods in the UK and which recently opened a new London depot, said: “Water is an absolutely vital part of our operation, so having a reliable and trusted business water partner is a must for us – which is why we’re continuing to be with Water Plus.

“We continually look at how we use water at our business during the year, so we’re working efficiently, as we continue to provide high-quality food products for the UK. We also engage with all our employees and highlight the steps to take, so that extra water isn’t being used when it’s not needed.

“We’ve established ourselves as a leader in the UK for supplying fresh halal chilled foods – and continuing to be with Water Plus, as a reliable and efficient partner for our water services, provides a strong base as we continue our plans to grow in the future.

“Its MyAccount platform is easy to use and makes it effortless to update our account information and provide meter readings, which reduces bills based on estimates.”

Helping customers identify water-saving opportunities

Improved consumption reporting and data analysis techniques mean key account managers at Water Plus have identified even more ways of proactively helping customers – some of which are household names – to reduce their water consumption and costs.

Insight, experience and analysis found that one customer was using more than 40,000 litres a month at one of its sites – a volume that should have been 70 per cent lower. When digging into the details as part of proactive customer support, Key Account Manager Lisa Moore found the multi-site was paying for another business’s supply at the location as well as its own.

“We worked closely with the customer, using our experience of water management and reviewing data, to raise this with the wholesaler, who installed an additional water meter for the other business,” said Lisa. “An application has also been made to the wholesaler to request a refund for the water amount they were not using, following the cut to ongoing running costs that’s already helping the business in 2025, from our work and actions.”

Water reuse – from rainwater harvesting to using heated water multiple times at businesses including manufacturers – can be another great way to reduce water consumption and costs. While a bigger initial cost may be involved in introducing these approaches and installing devices that change the way water is used, the payback time can quickly give a return on investment through increased efficiencies and a reduction in other costs.

The key account management team at Water Plus proactively works with customers on a daily basis to identify opportunities – including around water approaches – backed up by additional efficiency services and smart water solutions that can be provided through the Value Added Services team at Water Plus.

The extra data that’s unlocking further savings and efficiencies

Better data can help identify even further areas for more efficient water use – and can also help reduce risks to operations by spotting any issues with water early.

And taking more meter readings across a year to track use can help cut estimated bills, meaning businesses just pay for what’s used and keep greater control over running costs.

Water Plus has helped some major large and multi-site organisations add data loggers to their water meters to get updates on water use throughout the day and night, giving them easy access to additional water data online. This also lets businesses save time by both removing the need for manual walkaround checks and providing more detailed data.

Indeed, data loggers have enabled one multi-site organisation to move forward with its sustainability plans and track results – making a 34.4 per cent water-saving in 2025, on average daily use, at one of its locations merely by using small, low-cost efficiency devices installed through Water Plus.² A separate data logger also showed a whopping 48 per cent reduction in average daily water use at another of its locations after efficiency devices were installed through Water Plus – with two other sites being assisted by Water Plus to similarly increase efficiencies and reduce overall consumption.³

The Water Plus team also works with customers to set alarms through the online portal it can provide, which trigger notifications when water use increases above the limits set. This approach has led to sites identifying at least 12 locations with leaks in 2024 alone.

The Water Plus team’s proactive service approach also alerted a manufacturer and two other sites to increased water use in 2025. This increased use – four cubic metres an hour – across three sites was equal to 16,000 250ml cups of tea. Site visits have been arranged to pinpoint the location and cause of the increased water use.

Regular site checks such as these are well worth the time, as they can show where any water waste may be occurring – from dripping taps to cracked pipes and other less obvious signs of waste, such as water continually running in toilets. Stopping these quickly as soon as they are found means the increased costs from these are kept to a minimum on water bills, helping the bottom line.

For example, one site experienced water losses that would have cost an estimated £76,000 in wholesaler costs (and the equivalent of 6.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions) over 12 months, from a leak that was located and repaired through Water Plus’s Value Added Services team experts. Quick reactions kept this additional cost down.

With additional sustainability reporting requirements for larger businesses – including for boards, suppliers and customers – looking to water to help progress sustainability goals is worth the time. Our team can help show your untapped business potential.

Partner with multi award-winning water management experts

Key account managers at Water Plus regularly visit customers, from multi-sites to large industrial facilities, to review how they’re using water and help them implement bespoke water management plans, as well as show them how to boost trade effluent efficiencies.

Water Plus provided the help and support a major manufacturer in the food and drink sector needed for an application to a wholesaler, delivering a £170,000 annual cost saving in 2025. The business improved its trade effluent processes and treatment at one of its largest sites, which reduced the overall wholesaler unit cost.

Water Plus is committed to delivering exceptional customer support – and it’s backed up by the 21 awards the company has won since 2022, including a UK Customer Satisfaction Award in 2025 for Sustainable Customer Service. And Water Plus is the only water retailer making the finals for four customer awards in 2025, for helping customers manage their water more easily, effectively and efficiently.

We truly believe in putting customers first, and we’re here to support you through every step of your water management and water-saving journey. Our team are always happy to see how we can help customers as a water retailer – and to check you are on the best prices.

Tap into more ways to cut down utility costs and partner with our team today, or email: advancedservices@water-plus.co.uk.

Additional information on statistics:

1. A 37 per cent average water-saving, on estimated annual water use, was identified across 51 sites after water efficiency kit was installed through Water Plus in 2024. The sites were part of a large-scale project at locations across three counties that Water Plus delivered. This project was delivered by the Advanced Services Team at Water Plus, who provide value-added services (VAS).

The saving is based on water use data collected during water audits at each site to calculate savings on the annual estimated water use per site from water efficiency kit installed through Water Plus.

2. 34.4 per cent water saving at a multi-site’s one location tracked by a data logger installed by Water Plus on a water meter – on average daily consumption in February and March 2025, with water use tracked before and after water efficiency devices were installed.

3. 48 per cent water saving at another of the multi-site’s locations tracked by a data logger installed by Water Plus on a water meter – on average daily consumption in March and April 2025, with water use tracked before and after water efficiency devices were installed.

More on the changes in wholesaler prices for business water, that started in April 2025, at: www.water-plus.co.uk/news/20252026-wholesaler-price-changes/.