Cutting water costs in half for Sawston Village College.

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

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 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.