Rivers and lakes are drying up or becoming too polluted to use. More than half of the world’s wetlands have disappeared.
As a result of both climate change and human activities, such as groundwater abstraction, urbanisation and agriculture, nature’s water supplies have become under threat.
It is predicted that by 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages. This will be even more detrimental to ecosystems worldwide.
Hertfordshire’s wetlands and rivers
Hertfordshire has a number of wetland habitats, which cover less than 1% of the total area of the county and are primarily in the form of water-filled gravel pits resulting from gravel extraction.
Hertfordshire is also home to around 10% of the world’s chalk streams. These are rare and precious habitats in themselves, with less than 200 thought to be remaining worldwide. Chalk streams are often likened to tropical rainforests, with the diversity of species that they support.
However, Hertfordshire sits within one of the driest regions of the country and has one of the highest rates of water usage. As a result, increasing groundwater abstraction and climate change are also threatening these habitats.
Natural solutions in the school grounds
- Install water butts.
- Use mulch or natural shading in the school grounds to prevent the soil from drying out during the summer.
- Install Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) – sustainable ways of reducing flood risk. They do this by minimising the amount of water that builds up on the ground and slow its path to the drains. They also reduce the pollution in the water and improve the biodiversity in the area.
Overall, you need to identify where water collects in your school – it is worth working with site managers to assess this at your school and identify which measures would be best.
If your school has flooded, or you have a specific question on flood risk prevention, contact our Flood Risk Team at FRMschemes@hertfordshire.gov.uk.
Enquiries about flooding incidents will be prioritised.
Water sustainability inside the school
There are many things your school can do to increase water sustainability.
Taps and showers
- Flow regulators
- Water flow sensors
- Timers on showers – to stop water flow after 2 minutes
- Grey water recycling system – to collect water from sinks and showers, which is then filtered and can be used for flushing toilets.
Toilets
- Dual flush toilets – to reduce the amount of water used for flushing.
- Water saving devices (such as hippo bags) for toilet cisterns – to help save water when flushing.
Other ideas
- Ensure any new equipment is both water and energy efficient.
- Check water pipes regularly for leaks and ensure that any leaks are repaired as soon as possible. Set up a rota for student ‘water champions’ to check these.
- Reduce how much the dishwasher is used in the staff canteen. When used, ensure it is full and on the ‘eco’ setting.
- Encourage staff to re-use cups and mugs rather than using a new one each time.
- Stop using single-use plastic bottles and encourage all staff and students to use reusable water bottles – provide water stations within the school for re-filling water bottles.
Join the #TapChat for water saving tips!
If you’re thinking of installing Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in your school grounds, information and guidance about can be found at: