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The British climate is increasingly volatile, often oscillating between floods in the winter and protracted droughts in the summer. Heatwaves such as those we experienced in summer 2022 and 2018 highlighted the drought risk posed to many parts of the country from hot and dry weather, and caused government bodies and utilities businesses to review the UK water situation.

However, since then, the country has experienced healthy– and often above-average – levels of rainfall throughout 2023 and 2024. Until mid-July, many people were calling 2024 the ‘Cold Summer’. So, are we still in drought? Is this something that businesses should be concerned about?

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Are We Still In Drought?

According to research and analysis released by the Environment Agency in January 2024, the answer was ‘no’. The six months between August 2023 and January 2024 were the wettest on record since 1871 in some parts of the country, while the reported storage levels for most reservoirs were normal or higher than average for that time of year. This is positive news for the UK water situation, and can be seen in the green landscapes across the country – as opposed to the yellow and brown we have become used to in many summers.

However, the return of healthy rainfall is not cause for complacency. The most predictable characteristic of climate change in the UK this century is its unpredictability. It is very difficult to predict rainfall levels with any certainty 3, 6, 12 months in advance. For all we know, winter 2024/25 could be extremely dry, there could be an unprecedented autumn heatwave that precipitates a drought, and extreme weather could return next year. Or not – we simply don’t know. It isn’t just heatwaves that cause droughts, but sustained dry conditions, soil damage, unsustainable water use, and poorly maintained infrastructure that cause water shortages.

In a volatile situation, it makes sense for utilities organisations and businesses to prepare for every eventuality by making use of water reclamation solutions.

What Does A Commercial Water Reclamation System Do?

In the context of commercial vehicle and transport operations, a water reclamation solution helps create a circular economy within your facility to make maximum use of the water used to wash your vehicles, minimising the amount drawn from the mains.

At the same time, the reclamation system filters or treats the process water so that it is safe for release into the public sewer, or reused for various purposes on site. Our RC200 Water Reclaim System, for example, filters process water between vehicle washes to remove contaminants such as oils, detergents, and debris, so that fresh recycled water is available for the next vehicle. This sustainable approach to water reclamation increases the volume of water you can reclaim from each wash cycle, as well as lowering the cost per wash for your fleet.

Find Out More

To find out more about our range of water reclamation solutions, or to discuss your needs with one of our experienced team, please call us on 01789 339153, or click here to get in touch.

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