Water: stop wasting it!
Why and how to avoid wasting water?
National awareness of water wastage
The issue of water wastage has become central to environmental protection, and is also part of an approach to reducing a company's energy bill.
Long (and wrongly) sidelined, what is commonly referred to as "blue gold" is suddenly making a comeback in the debate on energy efficiency, decarbonization and reducing the environmental footprint of businesses. The many water restrictions to come in the event of drought are accelerating decisions within companies to save this increasingly scarce resource.
Erected as a national priority through the Water Plan presented on March 30, 2023 by Emmanuel Macron, the issue deserves close attention, since pipe losses account for 20.2% of drinking water put into distribution.
The official figures for this great waste:
In France,
20,2%
of drinking water produced
is wasted through
network leaks
937
millions
m3 of water lost every
year due to
network leaks
equivalent to the annual
annual consumption of
18 million
inhabitants
(Ile de France and Occitanie regions combined)
The main reason for leaks: weakened pipes
More than half of all pipes in France are aging/outdated.
The UFC Que Choisir association points out that "55% of water pipes in France have already passed the age when they should have been replaced".
Aging pipes are often associated with worn seals. Corrosion, naturally caused by water, also damages pipes.
Another factor that can cause leaks is soil movement.
The drought of summer 2022 worsened the situation in places, according to Marillys Macé, Managing Director of the Centre d'information sur l'eau: "With the soil movements due to the drought, it broke even more than usual."
Finally, high water pressure or external incidents (tree root development) can lead to pipe breakthroughs.
"There are many causes, but the main one is wear and tear on the pipes or their fragility," comments Sophie Portela, Water and Sanitation Project Manager at the French Office for Biodiversity.
Philippe Maillard
President of the Fédération professionnelle des entreprises de l'eau, interviewed by Les Echos.
We are increasingly concerned about the state of the water network, 50% of which dates back to before 1970.
Marie-Amandine Stévenin
President of UFC-Que Choisir
"Lack of pipe maintenance leads to scandalous leaks, with losses of up to 1 in 3 liters".
Losses with multiple consequences:
Water leaks in pipes represent a waste of resources
environmental, economic and patrimonial waste.
Energy and environmental waste:
From an energy point of view, the problem lies in the fact that this water has been treated and put into the network, thus consuming a lot of energy.
From an environmental point of view, "When there's a drought and all this water is taken from resources, particularly rivers, and doesn't reach consumers, the natural environment misses out, because it has warmed up and needs more water for animals, flora, etc.", says Maryllis Macé (General Manager of the Centre Information sur l'Eau (C.I.eau)).
Economic waste:
Even if water is considered inexpensive compared to other energy sources such as electricity or gas, the cumulative annual leakage rate recorded (20.2% on average) on public and private sites and buildings represents significant economic losses for property managers. Hydrelis' experience of 14,000 sites and buildings equipped with the system shows an average saving of 28% on bills, and a return on investment of between 6 and 18 months.
Waste of heritage :
In most cases, a pipe leak causes partial or extensive damage to the building/site. The size, duration and location of the leak will determine the consequences for the building. When pipe leaks occur inside a building in particular, the collateral consequences are often far-reaching, since they can lead to costly repairs (water leaks are the No. 1 insurance expense), and can cause the building to close down and the business to shut down. The economic and organizational consequences add up.
Digital technology, a new ally in the hunt to reduce water wastage
Even though building owners are responsible for the quality of their network, the cost of replacing pipes is colossal.
It is a good idea to start by identifying the state of disrepair of your network, in order to take local action on leaky plots.
ON'connectTM switch digital technology - a patented French technology - is an effective, robust and easy-to-install solution for :
- Precise identification of leaking networks (sending alerts indicating the network and size of the leak),
- Act in real time in the event of a leak (automatic or remote control of closures)
- Undertake a targeted repair of the leaking network.