Hunter Water is working together with businesses across the Lower Hunter to help them find practical water-saving solutions in their operations.

In response to NSW experiencing one of its worst droughts on record, Hunter Water will introduce level one water restrictions for the first time in twenty-five years, starting as of today.

Hunter Water is seeking a deeper engagement with businesses and its community partners to drive awareness of how they use water and to encourage lasting conservation behaviour.

Acting Executive Manager Customer Strategy & Retail, Glen Robinson, said Hunter Water’s water efficiency program was helping businesses find opportunities to conserve drinking water.

“While non-residential customers make up only five per cent of our total customer base, they consume almost a third of the region’s total drinking water supply.

“With our region’s dams now at their lowest levels in more than two decades, we’re committed to working with all businesses, both large and small, to find ways to save water together.

“By working with our large customers, which includes forty-five who each use more than thirty million litres of water a year, Hunter Water aims to identify ways to save water and find cost savings for businesses,” Glen said.

Through a range of techniques and real-time data tracking, Hunter Water plan to identify and better understand the local communities’ usage of water and tackle demands headfirst.

“We do this by utilising data loggers, or real time monitoring, to better understand their water demand patterns and by undertaking detailed water audits and specialised reviews known as Water Efficiency Management Plans (WEMPs),” Glen explained.

“Last financial year we helped our large customers achieve ongoing water savings of 335 million litres per year, which is equivalent to the yearly water usage of almost two thousand households in the region.”

For Morisset Hospital, the partnership has helped the health facility realise water savings equal to the annual usage of 251 homes in the region.

Real time monitoring of the hospital’s water meters identified some large leaks on site, which were found to be caused by issues with a float valve on the main tank and an underground pipe leak that was flowing into a stormwater drain.

By replacing the valve and fixing the leak, it is estimated Morisset Hospital has saved 48 million litres of water a year, resulting in annual cost savings of approximately $140,000.

Businesses can find out more information about how they can save water by visiting Hunter Water’s website.

IMAGE | Hunter Water’s water efficiency program set to help local businesses save water.