National water retailer, Wave, has again demonstrated its sustainability ambitions in its latest environmental, social and governance (ESG) report, which shows the award-winning company has supported customers to save 5.8 billion litres of water since 2021 – the equivalent of 2,320 Olympic swimming pools.
This figure, equal to 2.2 million kg in carbon dioxide (CO2e) emissions, or taking 524 cars off the road, has been achieved thanks to Wave extending its services to support customers with improved water efficiency.
The results published in Wave’s latest Social and Sustainability Promise report puts Wave over halfway towards its goal of helping its customers save 9.4 billion litres of water by the end of 2026. The water retailer’s corporate priorities shine a spotlight on a significant issue. According to research from the Environment Agency in March 2024, by 2050, the UK is looking at a shortfall of nearly 5 billion litres of water per day between the sustainable water supplies available and the expected demand.
With such large water shortages forecast, and deficits expected in all water company areas, the success of large organisations reducing their water consumption will make a huge difference. In 2023/2024, the National Trust, one of Wave’s clients, reduced its annual water bill by 13% – despite new sites being added to its portfolio.
As well as supporting its customers to improve their water efficiency, Wave continues to invest in wider awareness-raising projects. In the last year, the team developed a suite of resources for teachers and delivered sessions in local schools. Senior figures played an active role in representing the water industry at the Major Energy Users Council and Northumbrian Water’s Innovation Festival and the company is rolling out mandatory water efficiency training for all employees in the months ahead.
Lucy Darch, Wave CEO commented, “The water industry is currently facing a very challenging period with demand on water resources, and a spotlight on companies to not only set out, but deliver on, their commitments. It would be easy for any business to put its wider goals and ambitions for the world we live in on the back burner. But I am incredibly proud to say that Wave has not just continued to meet the objectives of our Social and Sustainability Promise, we’ve accelerated and measured our efforts throughout 23/24 as you can see in our latest report.
“Our drive to effect change, influence our customers and impact the communities they live in has allowed us to deliver far more than the sum of our parts. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved – it has been a huge team effort.”
Beyond Wave’s water efficiency efforts, the retailer also has ambitious decarbonisation plans, including investing in a carbon reduction plan, adding a carbon hierarchy to its corporate policy detailing the steps it’ll take to address emissions, and creating a carbon reduction fund. The team and its stakeholders have planted over 1,750 trees, including their very own Wave woodland, which will be maintained over the coming years.
Commenting on the relationship between net zero and water efficiency, Tony March Director of Public Sector and Industrial Customer at Wave said: “We need to hit net zero, but doing so requires water-intensive decarbonisation projects to go ahead. In a country where we face the ever-present danger of water scarcity, there’s a difficult balance to strike. The truth is, we need to deliver decarbonisation of the economy and water demand reduction. Wave is committed to playing an important role in harmonising these competing priorities.”
