A hospital trust is stepping up its water saving to help lower impacts on the environment, lower running costs and help the NHS to their Net Zero target.

As part of the Green Plan the Trust developed in 2021, they’ve teamed-up with Water Plus after choosing the water retailer through the Pagabo Utilities Supply Framework for the public sector, covering water and wastewater.

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, which has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2040, has received additional water checklists and guides to help identify areas where quick improvements can be made. They’ve also received water efficiency packs to engage more with staff to increase awareness of where water waste could occur - and to improve on reporting on any dripping taps or leaks across sites.

Catherine Anderson, Non-Executive Director at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Under our Green Plan, we want to improve sustainability and help the NHS reach its carbon neutral target wherever we can. Steps like saving more water across sites and using it more effectively where we do use it - to others such as bringing in electric vans, as we did in November 2021 to transport goods such as prescriptions, are a straightforward and effective way of moving towards the goal.”

Paul Featherstone, Director of Estates and Facilities at the Trust, said: “Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Stepping Hill Hospital and community NHS services, started establishing a Green Plan in 2021, looking at all aspects of its environmental impact to see where carbon emissions can be reduced. We are committed to becoming a net zero NHS, and water conservation is one of our agreed actions in our Green Plan.

“The Trust is also looking to add data loggers to their water meters to get more information on a daily basis, with information fed into a smart online portal provided by Water Plus.”

Tracey Stockwell, Head of Procurement at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Using the Pagabo framework was straightforward while complying with the rules required for procurement and we’re looking forward to powering further progress towards reducing emissions and impacts on the environment with Water Plus, who are experts in this.”

Lisa Moore, who heads up the public sector team at Water Plus which works with the Trust, said: “We’re delighted to be helping Stockport NHS Trust with their journey to Net Zero, to help our planet and lower impacts on communities for the future. We manage the water and wastewater services for many organisations, including in the public sector - such as councils, schools, colleges, universities, UK Government-owned sites, hospitals and the emergency services - so we understand their different needs and drivers and we’ve helped organisations make significant savings across their portfolio, reducing water use and contributing to their sustainability aims and Sustainable Development Goals.”

Water Plus, which is the largest water retailer in the UK, received an international Green Apple Environment Award in 2021 for its work with organisations, including reducing water waste to help reduce impacts on the environment.

In the last year, Water Plus announced it was on Pagabo’s national utilities supply framework for the public sector, covering water and wastewater, which is managed by Pagabo on behalf of Red Kite Learning Trust.