In its latest round of funding, Business Stream has awarded £100,000 from its annual Water Efficiency Fund to public sector projects, with the aim of helping even more organisations across Scotland to use water wisely.
The Edinburgh-headquartered water retailer established the annual fund in 2020 to help public bodies including councils, colleges and universities invest in projects that can deliver lasting water and financial savings.
This year’s judging panel, made up of senior representatives from Business Stream and with adjudication from Scottish Procurement, reviewed applications totalling over £300,000 in value.
Jo Dow, Chief Executive of Business Stream said:
“The standard of applications this year made the judging particularly difficult, which is a strong reflection of the work public sector organisations are doing to improve water efficiency.
“At a time when organisations are under pressure to manage both costs and environmental impact, the fund is designed to help turn good ideas into projects that can deliver measurable, long-term benefits.”
Beneficiaries of this year’s fund include South Lanarkshire College; who will use their £8,500 award to install waterless urinals in their buildings.
Jane Prentice, Head of Business Innovation and Development at South Lanarkshire College, said:
“Installing waterless urinals will help us reduce unnecessary water consumption across our buildings while also delivering ongoing cost savings.
“The funding means we can put a practical water efficiency measure in place that will make a lasting difference, supporting our wider efforts to operate more sustainably and use resources responsibly.”
The awarded projects are expected to be implemented in the coming months and include Dundee City Council, who requested water audits to be undertaken and the University of West Scotland, who plan to implement controls to reduce unnecessary water being used through their water flushing regime.
This year’s awards continue to build on the momentum of previous rounds. In 2024, the fund was doubled from £50,000 to £100,000 to meet growing demand – bring the total awarded since the fund’s inception to £500,000.
All projects have been selected based on their potential for lasting savings and the strength of their delivery plans. In addition to providing the funding, Business Stream will also oversee the delivery of each project.
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