Tesco has reduced its water bills by 40% in 28 stores by using rain water to flush the toilets, and has ambitious plans to cut water use even further.
Engineers have installed tanks costing £25,000 under newly built stores, and have retro-fitted tanks in older stores, with up to 50 more installations scheduled throughout 2009.
Tesco wants to reduce water consumption across the business by 20% by 2012, and is harvesting rain water from store roofs to help achieve the target.
Neil Pendle, MD of Waterscan, which supplies the equipment, said the focus so far had been on new stores because the equipment was easier to install while the site was unfinished.
"It is more difficult to retro-fit because there is a lot of structural work and a lot of excavation involved. It is ideal for a new build," he said.
"The main use of water in a Tesco store is in the staff and customer toilets. Nearly half of the consumption is flushing toilets. The amount of rainwater harvested from the roof almost matches the amount used to flush toilets."
Pendle said the cost of the rain water harvesting equipment was offset by lower water bills within three to five years. "They have a pretty reasonable return on investment," he added.
Pendle said he was working with Tesco to further reduce water use by installing rain water collection systems on petrol forecourt canopies and at distribution centres.
Engineers have installed tanks costing £25,000 under newly built stores, and have retro-fitted tanks in older stores, with up to 50 more installations scheduled throughout 2009.
Tesco wants to reduce water consumption across the business by 20% by 2012, and is harvesting rain water from store roofs to help achieve the target.
Neil Pendle, MD of Waterscan, which supplies the equipment, said the focus so far had been on new stores because the equipment was easier to install while the site was unfinished.
"It is more difficult to retro-fit because there is a lot of structural work and a lot of excavation involved. It is ideal for a new build," he said.
"The main use of water in a Tesco store is in the staff and customer toilets. Nearly half of the consumption is flushing toilets. The amount of rainwater harvested from the roof almost matches the amount used to flush toilets."
Pendle said the cost of the rain water harvesting equipment was offset by lower water bills within three to five years. "They have a pretty reasonable return on investment," he added.
Pendle said he was working with Tesco to further reduce water use by installing rain water collection systems on petrol forecourt canopies and at distribution centres.
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