Affinity looks to behaviour change as part of Project Zero water neutrality trial

Affinity Water has set out the details of its plan to trial water neutral development in central Bedfordshire.

Project Zero, an Ofwat innovation fund winner, will take place at three locations. It will test how low Affinity Water can get customer usage through technology such as fitting new water saving devices and rainwater harvesting on one site, and then see if on another site behaviour change can produce the same or better results. Both options will then be trialled together on a third site, whilst off-setting the usage that remains. The aim is to ensure that the total water use remains the same as before the new developments were built.

Efforts are currently focused on the second location: Bidwell, a development in Houghton Regis Town, central Bedfordshire. Affinity is working with three external partners to test the effectiveness of a behaviour change campaign at 1000 houses: behavioural change experts Grapeviners; NAV partner Independent Water Networks; and H2OiQ, a manufacturer and supplier of water efficiency products. The trial team is working in partnership with Central Bedfordshire Council and the local community.

New properties in the Affinity Water area are expected to use an extra 83m litres a day by 2032. It is hoped the results of Project Zero will create a blueprint for water neutral housing developments.