Civic buildings in Westminster are being audited and fitted with water saving devices to save taxpayers up to £400,000 over the next five years.

Almost a third of Westminster City Council's 147 buildings have already been surveyed and fitted with equipment such as infrared sensors on sinks and urinals, restricted flow showers and Hippo bags in toilets to save water.

The improvements, which should be complete by the end of the year, should reduce the amount of water used by the council by 20 per cent and save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The audits and improvements apply to all civic buildings in Westminster such as City Hall and Council House, schools, libraries and One-Stop-Shops.

The company leading the changes, AquaFund, will also check for leaks and check the council's water bills to ensure the council is on the right tariff and is spending the right amount on VAT.

Cllr Melvyn Caplan, cabinet member for finance, said: 'We are constantly striving to make the council more green and energy efficient. These are all small and simple changes but together they should make a big difference to both the environment and also council tax payers' pockets.'

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Infrared sensors ensure sinks and urinals only flush when they are actually in use. Hippo bags, also known as displacement bags, fit inside toilet cisterns to reduce the amount of water used in each flush.

Westminster City Council currently spends £550,000 on water each year.

Water saving is promoted by the council's Go-Green agenda. The council has already introduced voluntary water saving measures such as cutting back on the watering of parks and gardens and street flushing as well as using more water-efficient equipment.

ADSM (Advanced Demand Site Management), the parent company for AquaFund, specializes in helping public and private sector organizations reduce energy and water consumption and save money.

The council only pays for AquaFund's work if it succeeds in reducing the council's water bill. AquaFund pays for the audit service as well as the water saving equipment and its installation on the agreement the council will pay AquaFund 50 per cent of the money saved. A percentage of the money made by AquaFund is donated to the charity WaterAid.

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