Affinity project claims success in creating the world’s first water positive new development

An Affinity Water-led project has claimed a world first: making a new building development water positive.

The site in question is in Bidwell in central Bedfordshire, where Affinity has worked with NAV (new appointment and variation company) Independent Water Networks and customers to ensure the development has not put any additional strain on local water resources.

A two-pronged approach was used: 

• Minimising consumption in the new housing on site through technological interventions and behaviour change initiatives. Residents were asked to become ‘Bidwell Water Savers’ by picking and sticking to an easy water-saving pledge, for example using the eco cycle on their washing machine. The idea was that working together as a community, every small change would add up to a big difference. 

• Offsetting the remaining water used by the new development by water auditing local businesses and other organisations, and encouraging water efficient practices.

The project started out as a successful bid in Ofwat’s 2021 innovation competition –  Project Zero: Water Neutrality at NAV sites. Part of the funding deal was to share learnings from the scheme. The project partners had this in mind from the outset, and always aimed to create a national blueprint for achieving water neutrality. They hoped this would guide new ‘water positive’ legislation for developers, water companies and local government to enable growth while protecting the environment.

Lina Nieto, water net zero manager at Affinity Water, said: "We are immensely proud of the achievements of our water neutrality project and the successful creation of the world's first water positive development in Bidwell. Our commitment to sustainability and innovation drives us forward, and we look forward to continuing to share our learnings with the industry.”

Charlie Thackeray, director at Independent Water Networks, said: “The project’s next step of rolling out smart meters, with a mobile phone app, will allow our customers to see their daily water usage and where potential future sustainable savings can be made.”

Affinity Water has also proposed the establishment of a water trading framework, which would allow customers to trade water wastage with housing developers or businesses.