Eight hundred primary and secondary schools have seen at least 290,000 litres (290m3) of water saved a day in 2026, new data reveals.
It’s equal to the amount needed to fill a whopping 1.16 million teacups a-day, with each cup holding 250ml, reducing the schools’ running costs by more than £6,000 in a 5-day week.*
And the water saved in a month (during 20 school days) would be enough to supply 42,490 people with water in a small UK town – showing how water efficiency can help with keeping supplies flowing in communities.**
Reducing areas of water waste and increasing water-saving helps reduce carbon emissions, supporting public sector decarbonisation targets. It also helps with future water scarcity risks for the UK.
Insight and data were used to identify sites that could see the biggest benefits, including the education and healthcare sectors, with Water Plus contacting them, in the engagement and awareness raising approach to increase water-saving – and reduce impacts on the environment.
Scott MacIndeor, who leads the technical water efficiencies team at Water Plus, said: “Small actions at locations can really add up to help schools and other sites drop running costs and save water. Saving schools water can be easy to do – and can involve pupils joining in to spot leaks, or other water waste like dripping taps at buildings. The large-scale results and approach, driven by insight, helps show the practical actions we can all take to help the environment and natural resources we all rely on.
“It’s been brilliant to increase positive results and bring additional benefits for more than 800 schools and hundreds of other sites in 2026, drawing on our experience in this area. This collaborative action’s boosting and accelerating progress on saving water, supporting the UK’s longer-term water efficiency goals, while reducing running costs for customers.”
“We’re also working with sites involved in this project, helping them to take more proactive steps around identifying further areas for reducing water waste,” Scott added.
Each site taking part received a free water audit and water-saving kit installed on taps, with any smaller leaks identified in the checks at the buildings being isolated or repaired. Audits to identify areas for savings, installing water-saving kit and leak repairs were funded by the regional wholesaler United Utilities.
The numbers engaged so far, who are increasing efficiencies by reducing unnecessary water use, makes the approach the biggest retailer-wholesaler collaboration results to date.
Luke Brewer-Nevitt, Water efficiency Delivery Manager at wholesaler United Utilities, added: “This was an ambitious programme and it is fantastic to see the further substantial and significant uptake and positive results.
“Finding more ways to save water not only lowers running costs it also reduces pressure on supplies and the environment, helping keeping water flowing for everyone.”
The sites were engaged by Water Plus under its Be Wise On Water awareness and engagement approach and are in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Lancashire and Merseyside. The schools taking part were among more than 4,600 water-saving visits completed between April 2025 and March 2026.
- Leaks can catch schools off-guard – a secondary school had to shut for at least 3 days after an internal water leak caused damage to classrooms and communal areas in July 2026.
- In April 2026 a school in Much Wenlock had to close following a water leak at a leisure centre. An infant school in New Milton, Hampshire, also had to close in January 2026 due to a leak under the school hall floor that was causing the school to lose heating.
- And a boiler leak also closed another school in Northumberland, in December 2025.
- Regular site checks, noting meter readings each month and having a plan for if water was to stop suddenly, all help build resilience at school sites.
Notes:
800 schools visited between April 2025 to March 2026, with at least290m3 (290,000 litres) saved a-day, tracked through meter readings in 2026, taken before and after efficiency measures installed and leak repair actions in the approach.
*Cost saving in a 5-day week based on wholesaler water and wastewater charge of £4.22 per 1,000 litres of water from 25/26 FY wholesaler charges (measured as 1 cubic metre of water/1m3). Cost for sites using under 50 Megalitres.
**42,490 people would be supplied with 136.5 litres of water a day from the water saved in a 20-day month. 136.5 litres of water is the average daily amount used per person in 24/25 financial year (according to November 2025 published information on water use per person).
Water Plus works with schools as a business water retailer.
Water scarcity risk in the UK by 2055: June 2025 published information.
Other information:
- The town of Keswick, in Cumbria, has a population of approximately 4,800 according to the Town Council’s website.
- The town of Wivenhoe in Essex has a population of approximately 7,500 according to the town council’s website.
