Tap into savings

A major national water and energy saving project – Tap into Savings – is being launched today at the Braintree Town Hall by project partners. Over the next six months, the project will visit 5,000 homes in the Braintree District, helping households save around 15% of their water use - at zero cost to the householder. Collectively, we’ll be saving 247,500 litres of water a day - enough to supply 1700 people in Braintree with their daily water needs, or fill the main 8-laned swimming pool in Braintree twice a week.

From now and until the end of February residents will be offered a range of free products, installed by an Anglian Water approved plumber, including a device to convert a single flush toilet into dual flush, tap inserts, hose guns and an E.ON ‘ShowerSave’.  They will also be offered a thermometer card that indicates whether a room is too hot or too cold, and gives contact details of where to get more advice.

In addition, residents are being invited to come along to ‘EcoTeam’ meetings, to learn how to save even more water, gas and electricity, as well as learning how to recycle more. Tap into Savings will provide the venue, refreshments and freebies to take home and try.

The project is delivered in partnership with Anglian Water, Braintree District Council, Defra, Global Action Plan, Greenfields Community Housing, and Waterwise.

Mary Blake, the local Project Facilitator for Tap into Savings, said: ‘We are very pleased to bring Tap into Savings to the district. This project will install up to £30 worth of products in homes and help residents save water, gas and electricity, which will help reduce household bills by up to £50 a year and protect local water supplies, plants and wildlife for the future. The project shows how easy it is to make big savings and I encourage everyone to get involved’. 

Cllr Roger Walters, Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability, Braintree DC said; “Braintree Council was really keen to get Tap into Savings up and running in our district.  We believe it will ease the cost of running a home for our residents and at the same time help safeguard precious water reserves.”

Clair Longman, water efficiency expert at Anglian Water, said; "There is nothing on the planet more precious than water, but it is easy to take it for granted when it's available at the turn of a tap. Our region is the driest in the country, with half the average rainfall, so it is vital we save water wherever we can. Luckily, there are lots of really simple steps we can all take and this brilliant project makes it even easier, so look out for us on your street or come along to one of the EcoTeam meetings."

The rollout of Tap into Savings in the Braintree District follows on from its successes in the South East of England and Coventry.  Tap into Savings, funded in part by Defra’s Greener Living Fund (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), is a two year national programme that aims to help people save water, energy and money. Across England it will jointly involve over 10,000 people.  It is one of the biggest water and energy saving programmes in the UK. Braintree is the third Tap into Savings project to launch.

To sign up for a home visit call Mary Blake, the Project Facilitator on 07775 001752 or to find out more information about the project visit www.tapintosavings.org
  
Main contact for media inquiries:
Victoria Higgins (for project lead, Waterwise)
vhiggins@waterwise.org.uk or 0207 344 1883

NOTES TO EDITORS
Tap into Savings is funded in part by the Greener Living Fund, which is sponsored by Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) (www.defra.gov.uk).  Defra’s Third Sector Strategy, launched in November 2008, shows the Department’s commitment to working with the third sector (which includes voluntary and community organisations, charities, NGOs, co-operatives and social enterprises). The Greener Living Fund had a total budget of £6m to award in a two year funding period and contributes to the Government’s work towards a sustainable, low carbon and resource efficient economy.

Tap into Savings partners

Anglian Water
www.anglianwater.co.uk

Braintree District Council   
www.braintree.gov.uk

Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
www.defra.gov.uk

Global Action Plan
www.globalactionplan.org.uk
 
Greenfields Community Housing
www.greenfieldsch.org.uk

Waterwise
www.waterwise.org.uk

Calculations used
Each household has an average of 2.3 people using 145 litres per day, totalling 333 litres
Each retro-fitted household can save 15 percent of total water use (15 percent of 333 litres is 49.5 litres)
49.5 litres x 5000 retro-fitted homes = 247,500 litres saved a day across Braintree District
247,500 litres saved per day equates to 1706 people in Braintree’s collective use of water
The Braintree 8-laned swimming pool is 25m long, 17.5m wide and on average 1.5m deep = 656.25m3