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Water Stewardship Programme

Our Water Stewardship Programme helps businesses lower their water use and operating costs while protecting the environment.

The Water Stewardship Programme

Business activities can cause water shortages, flooding and pollution. Our programme helps companies take steps to protect our supply.

Water Stewardship benefits

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Be a global leader

Set sustainability standards at work with this first training of its kind.

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Receive free training

Our programme is fully funded by Uisce Éireann and Lean & Green Skillnet.

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Achieve international recognition

Receive certification from the European Water Stewardship Standards.

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Save water and money

Learn how to reduce water use and lower running costs.

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Protect the local environment

Know how to improve your business' environmental performance.

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Earn sustainability credits

Submit your certificate to Origin Green and be rewarded.

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Water stewardship quiz

Test yourself and learn the importance of protecting our precious water supply.

QUESTION 1

What is Water Stewardship?

A way to audit your business's water use and make changes
The plan for how Uisce Éireann manage the water network
It controls the amount of water supplied to your business

About Water Stewardship

Water stewardship is a way to evaluate your water use and impacts. It involves evaluating your water use, and making best practices changes. These are most effective if they're adopted both in your business and the local area.

QUESTION 2

Global issues can affect our water supplies. Which of these is a risk to supplies?

Discharged water can be polluted
It's difficult to contain supplies
Not enough of the earth is covered in water
PREVIOUS QUESTION

About Water Stewardship

Globally, issues related to water availability and quality are critically important. Water scarcity, flooding and pollution can all be increased by water use and discharge. This can result in ecological, social and economic impacts.

QUESTION 3

There are four pillars of water stewardship. What are they?

Identify, plan, implement and review
Audit, conserve, repair, and maintain
Quantity, quality, environment and governance
PREVIOUS QUESTION

About Water Stewardship

There are four main principles for examining your water use. Consider each of these areas and decide on actions to reduce your impact.
  • Quantity - Review the quantity, sources, and impact of your water use to check its sustainability
  • Quality - Examine potential pollutants in the water your business discharges (chemical and biological)
  • Environment – Restore and preserve High Conservation Value areas around your business
  • Governance – Work with stakeholders to achieve fair and transparent water governance

QUESTION 4

Which of these is a water steward?

An Uisce Éireann representative who speaks to your business
A person in your business who implements strategies to reduce water use
A member of the community who is interested in the environment
PREVIOUS QUESTION

Being A Water Steward

A water steward is a person in your business who sets out the plan and implements strategies. Water stewards should have an understanding of:
  • Your business's water useyour water use to check its sustainability
  • The context of your area
  • The shared risk of water governance and qualityareas around your business

QUESTION 5

Part of being a water steward is to create a water map. What does a water map show?

How you use water and the related costs
Where your business's water goes once you discharge it
All potential water sources in your local area
PREVIOUS QUESTION

Being A Water Steward

Water mapping is a way to understand your business's water use. It's a simple diagram that captures your water sources, services, end users, and outputs. This allows you to get an idea of how much water you use, and its true costs.

Mapping also helps to identify problems like leaks, and water conservation opportunities. This will allow you to not only save water, but also to cut down on costs.

QUESTION 6

You always need to consider shared risks when developing a stewardship plan. What are shared risks?

Risks of industrial water use both for your business and the supply in your local area
Risks of stewardship activities for business stakeholder
How national water use can impact on your business's supply
PREVIOUS QUESTION

Being A Water Steward

There are risks that come with industrial water use. This is mainly because businesses share a river basin with other water users. Water stewardship helps to address any potential risks and challenges.

  • Physical – Disruption in water supply. Decline in water quality. Impact on production and product quality
  • Reputational – Water as a public good. Public view of sustainability. Community opposition
  • Regulatory – New water allocations. Stricter water quality standards. Comply to global water strategies
  • Financial – Increase in water tariffs. Cost of insurance. Investor reassurance

QUESTION 7

There are several ways to find out how much water your business uses. Which of these should you use?

Talk to other business owners
Check your meter readings
Research how much your appliances typically use
PREVIOUS QUESTION

Identify Opportunities

Auditing your business's water use can help you in establishing baselines. Ways you can check what you use include:

  • Analysing your water bill
  • Checking your meter readings
  • Monitoring patterns of water use

A baseline serves as a benchmark to measure conservation actions against.

QUESTION 8

You want to reduce the amount of water your business uses. How can you start conserving water?

Buy appliances and devices that save water
Choose plants that don't need to be watered very often
Invest in equipment that doesn't require water
All of the above
PREVIOUS QUESTION

Identify Opportunities

Conservation is a key part of water stewardship. The level of effort and cost associated with conserving water is wide ranging.

Some initial opportunities that you can action right away are to:

  • Invest in water efficient appliances – such as taps, shower heads, toilets, and dishwashers
  • Go waterless – use air-vacuums, high-pressure air jets, and dry sweeping
  • Buy devices to save water – such as dual flush systems, toilers cistern bags, and shower timers
  • Choose low maintenance plants – such as cacti, peace lilies, aloe vera, and jade

Congratulations!
You've completed the water
stewardship quiz.


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Join our graduates

Meet Ireland's most water-conscious businesses.

Dalata Hotel Group

Certified Water Stewards since 2019

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Dublin Airport Authority

Certified Water Stewards since 2020

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Intel

Certified Water Stewards since 2021

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Wyeth Nutrition

Certified Water Stewards since 2021

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Architectural & Metal Systems

Certified Water Stewards since 2020

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Dublin City University

Certified Water Stewards since 2019

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Become a Water Steward

Register your interest in the Water Stewardship programme.