March 2013

Happy World Water Day !

ADSM efficiencies are saving the world’s water.

Through AquaFund this year we have already saved our clients hundreds of thousands of m3, reducing their carbon footprint and saving them money too.

November 2012

All fired up about water savings

Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service has recently joined a growing number of public sector organisations who are about to benefit from the water and cost saving measures accessed through the AquaFund grant scheme.

As austerity measures continue to have an impact on support services, many public sector organisations are finding that AquaFund is playing a vital role in enabling them to drive down their water costs and increase their sustainability with no outlay whatsoever.

With the help of AquaFund through ADSM, the Service can expect to save 30% on current water expenditure through the significant reduction of their water footprint across every site; including the headquarters, training centre, and communications centre, as well as every fire station within the Service – without the need for any budget. Through the assistance to the support services facilitated by the AquaFund grant scheme, Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service will be able to reap the benefits of significant financial savings for a long time to come.

November 2012

Princess Alexandra NHS Hospitals Trust set to make savings with AquaFund®

NHS Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust has taken up the AquaFund grant and is now set to retain around 30% of its previous water expenditure.

The NHS Trust enrolled for the AquaFund Scheme because it was easy to access and provided both the grant and the expertise to make the 30% water savings.

As the Trust is spread across five different sites in Essex and Hertfordshire, with hundreds of hospital blocks and buildings, the water-saving project spans multiple locations. With hospital buildings of differing ages and new blocks added at various times over the past 60 years, the plumbing infrastructure and water meters are of diverse ages and efficiencies.

The AquaFund scheme manages all of these challenges to ensure that water efficiency is optimised throughout the Trust and that the ongoing financial savings are realised.

October 2012

Myerscough College wins Energy Efficiency Award

Congratulations to Myerscough College in Preston for winning the ‘Energy Efficiency Award for Large Companies’ at the recent Lancashire Business Environment Awards.   This Award recognises the most innovative and effective organisations in Lancashire using smart business practices to achieve environmental sustainability.

The College has been taking advantage of ADSM’s AquaFund to improve its water efficiency and reduce its water consumption and, as well as the environmental benefits, has made significant financial savings as a result.

Allan Nickson, Head of Sustainability and Special Projects at Myerscough College said: “AquaFund® has provided us with the means to make sustainable water efficiencies across the college. It has also given us the ability to quantify these through their detailed monthly reports and to pinpoint our savings. We have had great cooperation from ADSM and they are easy to deal with. AquaFund® is a very worthwhile scheme.“

The full case study can be read here: http://www.adsm.com/case_study/myerscough-college/

October 2012

Basildon and Thurrock NHS Trust – caring for its water future

As an NHS Foundation Trust providing services for its community, Basildon and Thurrock understands its role in promoting and delivering sustainability.

Its water consumption across its three hospital sites -  Basildon, Orsett and Billericay – had stayed fairly flat at around 290,000 m3 per year since 2008.

With both environmental and financial gains to be made through greater water efficiency, its Sustainability Development Group welcomed the AquaFund grant and water management expertise from water specialists, ADSM.

The AquaFund will supply the funding together with the resources necessary to bring the NHS Trust to best practice in water usage and help to save up to 50% on their water bills.  The scheme will also monitor all sites for future leakages, manage water use for minimum waste and cut their carbon footprint through water efficiencies.

October 2012

Bedfordshire NHS patients benefit from the AquaFund effect

NHS Bedfordshire and Luton is benefiting its service users through the money-saving abilities of AquaFund.  Bedfordshire GP surgeries, community services and other local NHS facilities are expected to save over 30% on their water bills and improve water usage efficiency by taking advantage of the AquaFund grant and resources available from water management specialist,  ADSM.

“Our remit is to buy and manage our services as cost-effectively as possible.  The AquaFund grant scheme enables us to make substantial savings on our water bills which can be put to excellent use for patient services across Bedfordshire.”

NHS Bedfordshire and Luton is a Primary Care Trust (PCT) cluster and works in collaboration with  local NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to ensure that all services – including utilities – are sourced and managed in the most cost-effective, efficient and sustainable way.

September 2012

2012 Water Efficiency Award for AquaFund

At the Water Efficiency Award Ceremony, AquaFund and Barts Health NHS Trust were honoured as Runner-Up in the Business & Industry category for their water efficiency project.

In 2009 Barts and The London NHS Trust, a large Acute Hospital Trust in central London which is now part of Barts Health NHS Trust, entered into a partnership with ADSM (AquaFund) with the aim of reducing their water consumption across its operation. Following the establishment of a baseline against which results were measured, the two organisations worked together to implement a series of water-saving measures. The project has been a huge success with the Trust achieving a 30% reduction in consumption and a saving of £300,000.

Read full case study >

What are the Water Efficiency Awards?

The Water Efficiency Awards are run by the Environment Agency. It is the only UK scheme which celebrates the achievements of organisations who:

• shout about water efficiency and encourage action
• solve problems and overcome barriers to enable action
• save water by engaging with water users

This year the Environment Agency teamed up with Waterwise to launch the awards, expanding the
audience and raising the profile of the awards

September 2012

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust – 30% effortless savings on its water bills

Five hospital sites in west London will be conserving water and money with the help and expertise of AquaFund.

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust expects to meet its savings goal of 30% on its water bills every year for the next five years with ADSM’s know-how.

The five prominent Trust hospitals that will benefit from the savings are Charing Cross, Hammersmith, Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea,  St Mary’s and the Western Eye Hospital.

March 2012

Barts NHS saves 30% with AquaFund

Barts and the London NHS Trust has reduced its water usage by over 30 percent since joining the AquaFund® grant scheme. Consumption has been reduced by 100 million litres – the equivalent of reducing the shower time of every Londoner by 10 percent. Reducing water consumption has also resulted in corresponding cost savings – and contributions from AquaFund® to WaterAid, providing fresh water to the developing world.

The NHS Trust joined the ground breaking AquaFund® scheme in 2009 when it was awarded a substantial grant from the £700 million pound fund. Under the AquaFund® scheme, supplied by water management specialists ADSM, the Hospital Trust was provided with everything necessary to make their water efficiencies and financial savings including the full grant, consultancy services, site audits and state-of-the-art water saving technologies, together with water data and tariff analysis, bill validation services and on-going monitoring.

AquaFund donates one percent of all its revenue directly to the charity WaterAid, which is dedicated to improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation for the world’s poorest communities, so Barts and the London is helping this charity whilst also saving water. Projects in the African nation of Mali and India have benefited from the Trust’s participation with AquaFund.

Fiona Daly, Environmental lead from Barts and London NHS Trust, says:

“There have been water shortages in the South East region of England for a number of years but in February it was officially declared a drought area. Households and organisations are now being asked to conserve water; something Barts and The London NHS Trust has now been doing very successfully for several years through AquaFund.”

ADSM Director Patrick McCart says “With many areas in drought, it is more important than ever for all organisations to reduce their water consumption. Barts and the London NHS Trust is leading the way in London and have been really forward thinking in their approach to the environment.”

Pete Lamb from WaterAid says “We’re really pleased to see a large NHS Trust like Barts and The London making water efficiencies through AquaFund®. Parts of the UK have been declared a drought zone, but we must remember that many other people around the world only have access to contaminated water, which they may have to walk many miles to obtain. It’s vital that more organisations like Barts and The London join AquaFund, saving water in the UK and boosting support for those most in need.”

ADSM will be working in partnership with Barts and the London NHS Trust until the end of 2012 and will continue to monitor and maintain water savings throughout that time.

February 2012

West Sussex smiling about AquaFund

The Cabinet Member for Finance at West Sussex County Council says he’s “smiling ear to ear” about being part of AquaFund®.

Michael Brown says he’s delighted with the scheme which he describes as a “win win situation” for the Council, AquaFund® and the charity WaterAid.

“We estimate that the County Council can save 20 percent of its current water consumption by signing up to the scheme. Over the five-year contract period, this equates to £160,000.

“This scheme is so attractive as AquaFund donates one percent of all its revenue directly to the charity Water Aid, which improves access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities, meaning that we are helping charity while also saving water.

“It’s a win-win situation, not only is the County Council reducing its carbon footprint and water consumption, but in turn it is saving money off its utility bills, and supporting Water Aid and the vital work they do.”

West Sussex is one of the areas officially in a state of drought, so the water saving work being carried out by ADSM will make a vital contribution to cutting the county’s consumption.

January 2012

NHS Coventry joins AquaFund

NHS Coventry is set to start making thousands of pounds of cashable savings and cut its water consumption thanks to its partnership with AquaFund®.

Over the next five years the energy and water saving company ADSM, funded by the AquaFund® grant, will work with NHS Coventry to make every single one of its sites more water efficient.

Specialist engineers will carry out site surveys to check the location and condition of water meters and assess where savings can be made. The very latest water efficiency technologies, from rain water harvesting to automatic meter reading, will be assessed to see what will bring the most savings.

Several years’ worth water bills and all future water bills will be audited to the highest standard by ADSM’s specially trained accountants. Cutting edge software will pick up any inaccuracies which will be raised with the water supplier and substantial rebates are anticipated. After all the data has been cleaned it will be provided to NHS Coventry in a simple format.

The cashable savings this dual approach will generate will have a direct effect on lowering NHS Coventry’s budget, benefiting patients and helping the Primary Care Trust to achieve its efficiency savings.

As well as benefiting the PCT financially the water savings will also help ensure it meets the environmental targets outlined in the NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy. Cutting water consumption also cuts carbon levels and reduces how much energy the PCT uses.

NHS Coventry will also be indirectly assisting with contributions to the international water and sanitation charity WaterAid. Every year a proportion of AquaFund®’s revenue is donated to the charity and it has already helped support projects in Bangladesh, Mali, Ethiopia and India.

December 2011

Substantial water savings for Nottinghamshire County Council

Just a few months into its new water saving contract Nottinghamshire County Council has already managed to deliver £150,000 of cash savings from its budget thanks to the expertise of the staff at the water saving company ADSM.

It’s likely that figure will grow to £350,000 by the end of the agreement in 2013 and many more savings could still be found.

Using the AquaFund® grant, ADSM’s consultant engineers surveyed all 762 of the Council’s sites. The sites ranged from the National Water Sports Centre to schools, leisure centres and even a food factory.

Hundreds of water meters had to be read, many of which were buried in the ground, covered in rubbish or even submerged in water! A detailed analysis was done on how each site consumed water and this was compared to the usage that Severn Trent Water was charging the Council for.

A number of water and cost saving measures were assessed ranging from rainwater harvesting systems to washroom controls.

ADSM’s tariff experts spent 500 hours processing 6,000 of the council’s water bills. Using sophisticated software the bills were fully audited against the water company’s charges and national benchmarks. The Council was given total visibility on all the costs and consumption.

Major savings were discovered, including a substantial amount for surface water drainage charges. These costs cover the water company’s transfer of rainwater to nearby streams, rivers and lakes.

Historical refunds and rebates totalling tens of thousands of pounds have also been obtained from Severn Trent Water.

ADSM Director, Patrick McCart, said “This substantial saving for the ratepayers of Nottinghamshire wouldn’t have been possible without our expert team and the partnership we’ve had from Nottinghamshire County Council. We’ve been very impressed with the commitment the Council has shown to saving water and it’s passion for sustainability. We’re really pleased that within months of our partnership we’ve already been able to deliver such a big sum.”

ADSM is anticipating finding even more savings over the coming weeks and months as the work at Nottinghamshire County Council continues.

November 2011

AquaFund supports WaterAid in India

Hundreds of thousands of people in India are set to benefit from this year’s link between AquaFund and WaterAid. Revenue raised from saving water at businesses and public sector organisations across the UK will be used by the charity to fund projects in the central states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Despite being an emerging economy 330 million people in India are currently living below the poverty line. Over 136 million do not have access to safe drinking water and over 786 million do not have access to a basic toilet.

WaterAid is currently working to ensure that 71,200 people gain access to safe drinking water and 143,000 gain access to sanitation facilities. The charity is also working with local people to educate them on water hygiene and develop sustainable water and sanitation services. It is also talking to local government groups and community leaders to encourage them to increase finances for water and sanitation facilities.

The work WaterAid carries out, with support from AquaFund, helps save hundreds of thousands of lives a year. AquaFund is proud to have been supporting WaterAid since 2007 and has so far helped people in Ethiopia, Bangladesh and Mali.

April 2011

Scottish Water forced to reduce rates to Council

Scottish Water is about to return thousands of pounds in overcharges to Dumfries & Galloway Council, and reduce ongoing water charges, via ADSM’s ‘smarter way to manage water’ scheme, AQUAFUND

The Council has appointed public sector consultants, ADSM, to investigate all Scottish Water Business Stream’s charges on their 600 buildings and to obtain monies back-dated for at least six years. The scheme will deliver instant cash savings without the Council needing to spend a penny. ADSM said : “We are reviewing over 20,000 water bills for the Council for both overcharge and consumption savings. At the end of the audit and implementation process we will have substantially reduced Dumfries & Galloway Council’s water costs and given total visibility on all water accounts”.

March 2011

WaterAid benefits from ADSM’s runners

Two keen athletes from ADSM joined 16500 others on 20 March to complete the Reading Half Marathon in record time.

They were running on behalf of ADSM’s nominated charity, WaterAid, and their efforts raised in excess of £600 in donations to help provide safe water and sanitation to the world’s poorest people.

January 2011

£35 million on allocation from AquaFund

December and January have already resulted in £35 million of grant funding being allocated to drive down water costs – with the Education sector and Healthcare taking the lion’s share on this round.

AquaFund managers say that they expect the level of funding to start rapidly rising in the next few months as more and more orgnaisations take advantage of the grant.

December 2010

Papworth saves 20% with AquaFund

Papworth Hospital, the leading heart and lung transplant centre, is using the AquaFund grant to deliver 20 percent year-on-year saving on water, and helping to conserve budgets for front line services.

October 2010

West Midlands Fire Service takes AquaFund® grant allocation

The West Midlands Fire Service has signed up to AquaFund® and has already been allocated their share of the grant to enable them to make savings on their water bills.

The Birmingham-headquartered Fire Service is anticipating making water bill savings of 20% in their first year using the AquaFund® initiative.

September 2010

Water map shows billions at risk of ‘water insecurity’

About 80% of the world’s population lives in areas where the fresh water supply is not secure, according to a new global analysis.

The most severe threat category encompasses 3.4 billion people. Writing in the journal Nature, they say that in western countries, conserving water for people through reservoirs and dams works for people, but not nature. They urge developing countries not to follow the same path.

August 2010

Royal Berkshire Rescue Savings

By taking advantage of ADSM’s AquaFund® scheme, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service has been saving 14% on their water bills year on year.

Ms Pat Arthur, Procurement and Facilities Manager at Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “AquaFund® is helping us to save tax payers’ money, whilst making us more eco-friendly. By conserving water we are also falling in line with the government’s plans to make fire stations more sustainable.”

July 2010

Trust helps 270k people through AquaFund®

Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust has made a significant contribution to transforming the lives of 270,000 people in some of the world’s poorest communities through AquaFund®.

The Trust has been working with ADSM, a leading UK utility management company, to help reduce its water consumption, through a scheme called AquaFund®.

July 2010

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust make savings with AquaFund®

Having joined the AquaFund® scheme in 2008, West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust is already making savings of over 10,000m3 of water a year.

Urinal and cistern controls are part of the reason why dramatic water savings are being made. These technologies are installed and fully maintained by ADSM as part of the AquaFund® scheme.

July 2010

A photographic journey out of poverty

WaterAid and Magnum photographer Olivia Arthur has documented the journey out of poverty for three communities in Africa, to show how access to clean water is transforming the lives of the people living there.

The photographs will form the Making Ground exhibition at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London from 2 July – 14 August.

June 2010

Don’t let it drop!

Musicians at this year’s Glastonbury Festival in the UK are rallying behind WaterAid’s ‘Don’t let it drop’ campaign.

The message to world leaders is not to let their promises on safe water and sanitation drop.

June 2010

WASH United

As World Cup football fever sets in, the whole world is looking to South Africa, to celebrate the magic of the beautiful game.

In the time it takes to play a World Cup match, 140 African children will die from diarrhoea. Help WASH United’s football stars raise awareness of the crisis.

June 2010

Water company may impose hosepipe ban

A water company is considering imposing a hosepipe ban to combat a dry spell in north-west England.

United Utilities may also ask for permission to use Ennerdale Water, in West Cumbria, to boost its reservoir levels.

May 2010

Halton Borough Council reduces water wastage with AquaFund®

Halton Borough Council has made significant savings on water usage in the last two years, reducing consumption by more than 50% at some venues – and helped clean water projects in developing countries.

In October 2008 Halton entered into a three year contract with a company called ADSM which specialises in water management.

May 2010

Green challenges for post-election

All the major Westminster parties are promising to create green jobs and tackle climate change, however the environment has not been one of the major issues during this campaign.

But whoever wins faces some difficult challenges.

May 2010

Why is handwashing important?

Each day, 4,000 children in the developing world die as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation.

Washing hands with soap can help prevent many of these deaths.

May 2010

Walk for water

Step out and save lives! Organise a sponsored Walk for Water this summer and raise funds to help those who have to walk miles for water every day like those in Ethiopia and Bangladesh.

April 2010

UK water use ‘worsening global crisis’

The amount of water used to produce food and goods imported to developed countries is worsening water shortages in the developing world, a report says.

The report, focusing on the UK, says two-thirds of the water used to make UK imports is used outside its borders.

April 2010

Water Saving Week 2010

Now in its second year, Water Saving Week seeks to raise awareness of the benefits of water saving at home, in businesses and in schools.

Water Saving Week 2010 will run between 12th – 18th June.

April 2010

Westminster is saving money and energy with green measures

Westminster is slashing its energy bills by £345,000 a year thanks to a series of money saving measures which also cut the council’s carbon footprint and help save the environment.

Westminster City Council is moving closer to becoming carbon neutral as well as saving money at its official buildings, schools, and statues, with a series of energy and cost saving measures which reduce the amount of energy the council uses.

April 2010

High level meeting on sanitation and water

The first ever High Level Meeting on Sanitation and Water was held in Washington DC on Friday 23 April 2010 – an historic event that marked the culmination of two years of campaigning by WaterAid for a global plan on combating the water and sanitation crisis.

March 2010

UK campaigners target seat of power

More than one hundred Gordon Brown look-alikes marked World Water Day by queuing in front of a giant loo at Westminster, urging the Prime Minister to tackle the global sanitation crisis…

March 2010

National Geographic showcases WaterAid’s work in Ethiopia

The Burden of Thirst feature in National Geographic magazine’s April 2010 special water issue examines water scarcity in East Africa, and covers WaterAid’s programme in Ethiopia which was proudly supported by AquaFund

March 2010

Ambulance service gives wateraid

The North East Ambulance Service has qualified for funding with the £700 million AquaFund® grant. They join a growing number of NHS Trusts and organisations that have taken advantage of the funding which converts water savings into financial savings without the need for a budget. This means lower water bills for the North East Ambulance Service and greater environmental benefits enabling them to focus on their core aim – promoting the wellbeing of their patients.

October 2009

UK’s largest horticultural college harvest 25% water saving

Within just 12 months of entering the AquaFund® scheme, Myerscough College in Preston has made a significant water saving. The EAUC (The Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges) said “This case study provides an excellent example of how an institution can make significant water and financial savings by taking up available initiatives”.

September 2009

AquaFund® passes driving standards test

Driving Standards Agency has implemented AquaFund® as the scheme that will deliver a 50% cash saving for the organisation without the need for any budget.

ADSM manage the multi-million pound AquaFund® scheme which is available to UK Public and Private sector organisations for water consumption reduction.