Water: reducing stress on supplies

The food and drink manufacturing sector is a significant water user and has an important role to play in helping to reduce stress on the nation's water supplies.

The Federation House Commitment (FHC) was launched with Envirowise in January 2008. It sets out, in a landmark agreement, a process for food and drink manufacturing companies to work in a systematic way towards improving their water efficiency. It is through the Commitment that our members are working towards achieving an industry-wide target to reduce water use by 20% by 2020 compared to a 2007 baseline.

Federation House Commitment report cover The first FHC annual report was published in July 2009, with 36 signatories reporting collective savings of over 475,000 cubic metres of water in 2008 – equivalent to nearly 200 Olympic swimming pools. This represents a total reduction of 1.7% compared to 2007. Water usage per tonne of product in 2008 decreased by 1.4% compared to the 2007 baseline (excluding water embedded in products).

As a result, savings of around £500,000 in the purchase of water alone will have been achieved. Further efficiency and cost savings can be expected through water treatment and effluent treatment costs.

Water-saving measures being implemented by FHC members include improving water recovery and re-use, rainwater harvesting, cleaning in place and dry cleaning operations – as well as domestic changes such as fitting more efficient taps and toilets.

Muller is a signatory to Federatio House Commitment Throughout 2009 FDF worked with Envirowise to ensure that signatories have the help and support they need to deliver water savings. As well as providing technical support on individual queries and issues, Envirowise has developed good practice guides and case studies to distill member experience and share learning across the wider membership.

Seminars for new signatories and best practice workshops to help members develop and implement site action plans were held during the year.

Signatories will continue to engage fully with the water efficiency framework set out in the Commitment in the coming year and will be working with Envirowise towards achieving the 2020 targets.

The Federation House Commitment is open to all companies in the food and drink manufacturing sector and since its launch membership has risen to 42 signatories, including 30 FDF members.

We will continue to encourage our members to support the Commitment in the coming 12 months, while keeping the policy delivery mechanism under review to ensure that it fulfills members' ongoing expectations and wider water efficiency policy objectives.