Saving water and saving lives

An innovative water saving programme at Guy’s and St Thomas’ has reduced the Trust’s water consumption by nearly 20% and helped to provide access to clean and safe drinking water to some of the poorest people in the world.

The programme, carried out in partnership with water management experts ADSM, has resulted in the Trust saving £120,000 worth of water. Funded by a grant from AquaFund, a percentage of the cost savings goes to the charity WaterAid and provides safe water and sanitation in Nepal.

The Trust is highlighting the programme’s achievements to mark NHS Sustainability Day on Thursday 26 March. This is a national event showcasing how health service organisations are reducing their environmental impact.

Alexandra Hammond, Associate Director for Sustainability, says: “By installing state-of-the-art technology, putting in new pipes, and carefully monitoring our water use, we’ve achieved significant savings in our water consumption.

“It’s fantastic that this programme also brings benefits to the people of Nepal through the support sent to WaterAid.”

Guy’s and St Thomas’ spends approximately £850,000 on water each year and uses enough to provide the daily drinking water of 200,000 people.

Patrick McCart, Director at ADSM, says: “With the threat of water scarcity, climate change and increasing cost, it is more imperative than ever that all organisations manage and reduce their water consumption effectively.

“Guy’s and St Thomas’ is leading the way in the NHS and has been really forward-thinking in its approach to the environment, which is reflected in the great level of cost and consumption savings achieved to date.”

Lynda McCullagh, Corporate Account Manager at WaterAid, says: “It’s great to hear that a large NHS organisation like Guy’s and St Thomas' is increasing its water efficiency through AquaFund, and in turn supporting WaterAid.

“Water is our most precious resource, and we’re very lucky in the UK to have safe, clean water at the turn of the tap when one in 10 people across the globe are denied access to this basic necessity. We’d like to say thanks to Guy’s and St Thomas' as the Trust has helped us reach thousands of people with safe water and improved sanitation in countries such as Nepal.”

Find out more about sustainability at Guy's and St Thomas'.