Alex Wright, Technical and Training Manager at Zip Water, discusses the significant impact sustainable drinking water provisions can have throughout the public sector.
Zip Water
As part of the 25-Year Environment Plan, our Government has pledged to eliminate avoidable plastic by 2042 – including planet-damaging single-use bottles. From manufacture through to disposal, it’s no secret that plastic bottled water is an unsustainable modern convenience.
Made from non-renewable fossil fuels, the production of a single litre bottle of water releases over 10 balloons full of CO2 into the atmosphere. Plus, with the production of almost 20,000 plastic bottles a second to keep up with worldwide demand, every new plastic bottle purchased contributes towards the already catastrophic plastic waste crisis.
Our range of environmentally-friendly mains-fed filtered drinking water systems are an ideal alternative for public sector facilities that want to reduce their single-use plastic bottle waste. The innovative and energy-efficient products can help you to reach your desired sustainability targets – they completely eradicate the need for single-use plastic water bottles by providing pure-tasting water straight from the mains water feed.
Here, I outline some of the key features from our product range that will benefit the public sector and contribute towards sustainability goals.
Advanced filtration technology
A common reason people choose single-use plastic bottled water is because they dislike the taste of tap water.
Thanks to our advanced MicroPurity filtration technology, our HydroTap drinking water systems deliver the purest tasting water on the market. Unlike traditional carbon blocks, our premium filters combine carbon and sediment blocks into one cartridge. They not only remove a number of contaminants from tap water but also up to 97% of chlorine and 99.9% of biological cysts, if present.
There’s also the option of our HydroChill range, offering a mains-fed, reusable bottle filling solution thanks to the provision of filtered chilled, sparkling or ambient water in seconds. With models that can provide up to 200 750ml bottles of pure-tasting water per hour, the range is a perfect match for workforces of all sizes. Selected models in the range also boast an optional ‘UV out’ sterilisation feature which helps the dispensing area remain free from contamination.
Apache North Sea chose to install a Zip HydroChill at its head office in Aberdeen to support the company’s efforts to reduce single-use plastic waste. Within two months, the sale of bottled water and their subsequent use of single-use plastic waste decreased by 48%.
Energy-efficient innovations
With the public sector currently spending more than £2.5bn on energy consumption every year in England alone, the latest sustainable and energy-efficient innovations could lead to potential savings of around £860m each year. In addition, it could lower the 2% of carbon emissions produced from inefficient practices in the sector alone.
New technologies
To ensure targets are met, our extensive range of drinking water solutions operate using cutting-edge, energy-saving technology to reduce power consumption while improving energy efficiency. Our HydroTap and HydroBoil Plus ranges utilise Power-Pulse technology to reduce power consumption by allowing the system to regulate power during periods of heating, causing it to save energy while maintaining the tightest possible temperature control.
On top of this, our HydroTaps are factory set to dispense water at a 98°C for enhanced safety and energy efficiency. What’s more, you can activate timed control to set power-off times or rely on the clever lux sensor to automatically put the system to sleep when the lights go out at night.
Water conservation
As well as tackling plastic pollution, the Government’s 25-Year Environment Plan also aims to restore national water resources to as close to a natural state as possible. This means that to reach sustainability targets, the public sector must also establish strategies for using water more efficiently in facilities.
The kettle is a commonplace water-guzzler – the Energy Saving Trust found that 85% of people boil the kettle at least once a day. By switching to an instant boiling water tap, such as the Zip HydroTap, you can ensure only the amount of water required is dispensed, not wasting a drop. What’s more, the HydroTap also features an innovative air-cooled refrigeration system to reduce water wastage.
Leading the way in sustainable, energy-saving, water-conserving and user-safe technology, our drinking water systems are some of the highest quality on the market. If 2020 is the year you aim to make your facility single-use plastic bottle free, contact Zip to discuss a competitive and bespoke package.
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