Federation House Commitment - Progress Report: 2009

Site Progress

Many food and drink manufacturing companies in the UK have more than one site. The 36 member companies have collectively registered 207 sites. All sites are required to work through the five stages of the FHC, but multi-site companies may start with just one site and introduce others to the process on an ongoing basis, thus enabling best practice learned at one site to be shared and employed at similar sites across a company. By the end of the first year of the FHC there were 192 active sites.

Since sites become active at different times, they are at different stages of the Commitment, as shown in Figure 2.

Number of sites at each FHC stage Most sites have been able to provide the water use data for 2007, as this can be calculated from water bills or meter readings. However, this data may take some time to collate, especially across several sites, and sometimes water meters can be difficult to access.

The next step is to develop a water balance, which requires a good understanding of the sources of water used on site, where it is used and how much, as well as the different discharge routes. This information is required to develop a well-founded action plan that will lead to both water and cost savings. It has become apparent that sites have not always been able to provide a site water balance so easily. Food and drink sites are often complex, particularly if they have been adapted over many years; they may have more than one water source to track, and processes often require water of different temperatures and purity.

Envirowise support for members in the first year of the FHC has particularly helped with water data collection and developing a water balance.

also see: Water efficiency actions

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