Cutting water costs in half for Sawston Village College.

Learn how we helped a secondary school achieve £6,270 in annual savings, reduce water costs by 48% and made a positive environmental impact.

Read time - 2 minutes

Cutting water costs in half for Sawston Village College

Annual cost savings

6,270

Reduction in water costs

Investment cost

1,000

Sawston Village College, part of the Anglian Learning Trust, plays a key role in its local community. Not only does the secondary school educate more than 1,000 pupils, but it serves the local community, with a well-equipped sports centre that hosts clubs, children’s parties and events, and even a cinema run by students.

What you need to know

Recognising the importance of conserving water, Zenergi was invited to carry out a water survey to uncover areas for improvement and identify cost-saving opportunities for the college. Through a detailed water benchmarking analysis, we compared the school’s water usage to national benchmarks for secondary schools with swimming pools. What we uncovered was striking:

Wasted water: 460 litres of water were being used every hour, even when the school was closed
Inconsistent usage patterns: Water consumption remained steady during school holidays and COVID-19 lockdowns, when occupancy was low
Redundant waste: The data highlighted inefficiencies that were quietly draining resources and budgets

What Sawston Village College thought

To support our Environmental and Sustainability Policy, we undertook water surveys. The surveys suggested easy and cost effective solutions across key sites where losses were identified. Our investment was very beneficial to the Trust to establish our benchmark and identify low cost saving opportunities.

Claudine Bateman

Director of Operations

Anglian Learning

Why it matters

Armed with these insights, we recommended a set of low-cost measures to address the waste. For just £1,000 in repairs and optimisations, the school was able to:

Stop the unnecessary water usage
Dramatically cut operating costs by nearly half
Achieve full return on their investment in just a few months

What we think

This project is a great example of how small, targeted changes can drive meaningful savings and long-term environmental benefits. By working closely with Sawston Village College, we were able to turn data into action—reducing water waste, lowering costs, and supporting their sustainability goals. It's exactly the kind of impact we aim to deliver for every school we support."

Darren Myers

Carbon Compliance Manager

What a difference it made

Water conservation is more important than ever; we’re facing a shortfall and there isn’t going to be enough water to meet demand in the decades to come. It is vitally important that all schools take urgent steps to minimise their water wastage. By taking swift action, Sawston Village College was able to save £6,270 per year in water costs, reduce water usage by 48%, minimise environmental impact and demonstrate leadership in sustainability within their community.

Water conservation often takes a backseat to energy efficiency. But Sawston Village’s story shows how even a small investment can deliver big results, not just financially but environmentally too. We’d love to help your school or organisation achieve similar results and take a meaningful steps toward a more sustainable future.

Chris Jermy Director of Customer Success Zenergi

Ready to learn more? Start a conversation with one of our experts today.

Get in touch

How we delivered Sawston Village College's water savings

Water Procurement

Navigating the complexities of water procurement can be time-consuming and challenging, with countless supplier options, varying service levels, diverse quotes, and differing payment terms to consider. Our team simplifies the process by providing like-for-like comparison quotes, ensuring transparency and informed decision-making. We can also offer bill validation and benchmarking of your consumption, identifying any potential inefficiencies or leaks.

Find out more