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.