£5m fund aims to slash water use in public buildings

An authority has received £5m in government funding to install water-saving measures across council-run buildings.

Greater Cambridge Shared Planning, which serves Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, said the money would support a programme of water efficiency improvements.

The councils said they were exploring opportunities to install devices and identify leaks in council homes and other properties.

Katie Thornburrow, Labour councillor and cabinet member for planning and infrastructure at the city council, said: "My hope is we can learn from these innovative projects and bid for further funding to roll out more measures across the area in the coming years."

The funding will help deliver part of the Greater Cambridge Water Efficiency Programme, which aims to drive down water demand in the region.

The councils said water-saving devices could also be installed at sites including Cambridge's swimming pools and South Cambridgeshire District Council's headquarters in Cambourne.

Thornburrow said: "Where devices to help our tenants save water are installed, they are unlikely to notice any impact in terms of water supply.

"Meanwhile, at our own ouncil-run swimming pools, for example, we anticipate saving up to 90% of water usage across three sites."

Dr Tumi Hawkins, Liberal Democrat councillor and cabinet member for planning at South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "These measures will help in the short-term, meaning we are able to do our job of ensuring sustainable, planned development can go ahead."

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