Ofwat funds water efficiency program for UK faith communities

The UK water industry regulator, Ofwat, is funding a water efficiency program targeting faith and diverse communities. The initiative, titled ‘water efficiency in faith and diverse communities’, aims to encourage conservation practices among specific groups.

In Cambridge, a pilot program involving the University of Cambridge Faculty of Theology, Cambridge Central Mosque, and South Staffordshire Water encourages Muslim worshippers to use only one liter of water for wudu (ablution). Trials suggest that using a one-liter bottle could save up to 55 liters of water per person daily compared to using running water. The project estimates a potential saving of 5,900 liters of water per day in Cambridge alone.

Additionally, the program includes a £270,000 initiative to teach Asian communities how to use less water when washing rice. The project emphasizes that these guidelines should be shared through Islamic television channels while noting that water companies should avoid implying that any single community is primarily responsible for water waste.