New Government, New Building Policies

Labour have committed to boost the building of affordable housing. Their plan is to build 1.5 million new homes in the next 5 years.[1] However, the anticipated UK water deficit is projected to be 4017 megalitres per day by 2050.  To offset this projected deficit, major water companies have been developing plans to upgrade the UKs water supply and reduce current usage from 150 litres per person per day to 110.

Whilst Labour have pledged to ‘clamp down on water companies that harm the environment and pollute our rivers with automatic and severe fines,….’ [2] There is no mention of the impact that the extra homes will have on the projected UK water deficit.  Until the new government announces its plans to mitigate the impact of their building targets on water supply, it must be assumed that these plans remain in place.  Reducing daily consumption and ensuring all new homes are water efficient must be the way forward.
 

Smart systems – location is the key
Smart meters are seen as a significant part of the solution to reducing domestic water usage.  Thames Water have recorded post installation savings of 12-17%.3 Following multiple trials, all water companies are now working on plans for Advanced metering infrastructure, where all new connections or meters use the latest generation of smart meters.  

The issues raised in the early trials has led much of the UK water industry to recognise that the most effective methods of installing the advanced metering infrastructure is to locate the meter above ground.
 
The use of the Groundbreaker water management system co-locates the water meter on the exterior wall of the dwelling, alongside gas and electric meters.  It has the advantage of providing a better environment for smart technology and the additional benefits of extended signal transmission and easy meter exchange.  

Designing out leak paths
The unique location of the Groundbreaker water management system allows for an unjointed water supply. The use of an uninterrupted supply has been recognised as best practice by Water UK and the Home Builders Federation.4  It future proofs the network by maintaining the integrity of the supply and minimising the risk of future leaks.  

Steve Leigh, Managing Director of Groundbreaker commented, ‘Portsmouth Water have demanded surface mounted meter housings for all new properties for over 15 years. Working with them we have established the effectiveness and reliability of Groundbreaker.’  He continued, ‘With the need to maximise the effectiveness of smart metering programmes, I can’t see that there is a viable alternative – putting smart technology in a hole in the ground just does not work.’  

Water efficient homes
United Utilities have recognised that water efficient homes are the key reduce consumption further.  In all new properties, developers will be encouraged to design in water conservation measures, including the installation of a flow regulator.  These modulate the flow entering customer premises, so limiting the amount used by the customer and creating a ‘natural’ reduction in consumption.  
These products are fitted to the main water supply, and not each individual outlet.  This removes any risk of consumer interference and ensure that minimum standards of water supply are maintained as specified within the Water Industry Act and Water Fittings Regulations.
 
Groundbreaker supply two products.  In properties with a meter Groundbreaker’s NRv2 LoFlo can be installed between the water meter and manifold in any water meter enclosure.  For unmetered properties, the LoFlo InLine is fitted on the main water supply pipe, normally just after the main
stop tap.
 
In either unit, several flow modulation ranges are available which enable the perfect balance between usage reduction and service provision.  As an added benefit, the Groundbreaker’s LoFlo Check Valve systems have the unique property of providing whole site protection against contamination by back flow (up to fluid category 2) as standard.  Groundbreaker products are compliant with all Regulations and defined criteria and are used extensively across the whole of the UK water supply network – whether that be North of Scotland or the Channel Islands.
 
For further details please contact Groundbreaker Systems at www.groundbreaker.co.uk

•  Steve Leigh is a Fellow of the Institute of Water and Managing Director of Groundbreaker Systems

Images © Groundbreaker