Led by: Northumbrian Water Group
Partners: Northern Gas Networks Ltd, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Proctor & Gamble Technical Centres Limited, National Energy Action
See project updates on the FAIR WATER website.
The Fair Water project, led by Northumbrian Water alongside partners including National Energy Action, Northern Gas Networks, Newcastle University and Procter & Gamble, aims to test and develop more effective and sustainable water and energy solutions for people’s homes – including those on low-incomes, the elderly and vulnerable – to find tailored solutions to reducing carbon through energy and water efficiency. For example, this will focus on encouraging behaviour changes and developing new product innovations for task based water use in the home. To achieve this goal, the project was awarded almost £3.8 million.
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The project has made significant progress on two key elements. 1. In May and June ten households were installed with point-of-use water sensors on 40+ appliances, and these have started the process of collecting the much-needed household water use data. Water use data over the first few weeks will provide a baseline for each household, with which the effect of the planned interventions in the coming weeks and months can be compared. Additional sensor installations are scheduled over the coming months to reach a total of 50 households. 2. In mid-June, the base-lining survey on water use perceptions was delivered (email and postal) to selected households, which will provide a second strand of base-line data, complimenting that from the households with in-home sensors.
The project is making good progress on several elements. 1. By July ’24 fifteen households were installed with point-of-use water sensors on 56 appliances, collecting 3+ months of household water use data. The data from these months provides a baseline for each household, with which the effect of planned interventions from October ’24 onwards can be compared. Additional sensors will be installed in October and November to reach a total of 50+ households. 2. The project plans to obtain overall household water use data from smart water meters in the same 50+ households. However, this requires a new mobile phone-based communications system, as the dedicated smart water meter system is not yet installed in the region. This new system has been successfully developed by a sub-contractor, with installations scheduled in Oct-Nov ’24. 3. The water-use data collection and analysis systems have been successfully implemented, with digital processing and visualization tools/dashboards now available in the consortium. 4. Selected households were sent a survey on water use perceptions. The responses have been received and are currently being analysed for insights on consumer perceptions and understandings.
For more information on FAIR WATER, take a look at the following resources:
