Major highstreet supermarket

Challenge

In 2019, a large UK-wide supermarket chain and major food manufacturer was relying heavily on tankered water to supplement the water supply at one of its manufacturing sites.  Increased demand for products from stores; seasonal demand; and special in-store offers had increased production and CIPs (the method used to clean the interior surfaces of pipes and process equipment without disassembly), putting additional pressure on its water supply. As their water partner, Business Stream were brought in to help. 

Solution

Through using automated meter reading (AMR) technology and by conducting a detailed on-site feasibility study, Business Stream were able to detect a number of leaks from the process machinery that needed to be fixed. Once fixed, it became apparent that it was taking longer for the tankers to discharge, as more water was being used in the process. A feasibility study was carried out which highlighted a number of obstructions in the incoming network, resulting in pipework modifications being carried out.

By undertaking this repair work, the water flow was increased by 3m³ per hour to the site, the equivalent of 72m³ over a 24-hour period. This resulted in the site no longer requiring the additional tankers (typically two per day) – which delivered signficiant savings to the customer.

AMR technology was also used to analyse the site’s baseline for water use on the two days the site isn’t in operation – Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. This exercise enabled the manufacturing site to identify additional undetected leaks, which otherwise wouldn’t have been found. The work was carried out within a week and resulted in the site saving the equivalent of £12,272 per annum (based on current water charges).

Recognising the benefits, AMR technology will continue to be used by the manufacturing site to monitor its water flow and detect any arising issues.

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