HUDDERSFIELD firms have been urged to make wiser use of water as a way of boosting business.

Environmental advice group Envirowise said many commercial sites could cut their water bills by up to 50% by investing in measures such as water-efficient toilets and taps, leakage detection and equipment to monitor water use.

The Water Technology List, managed by the Government and Envirowise, details technologies and products that qualify for tax relief.

Envirowise regional manager Elin Crebbin said: “Businesses in the region are responsible for a significant proportion of overall water consumption as many sectors use large volumes of water for process purposes.

“Although some companies abstract water directly from rivers and boreholes, many take their water from the public supply.

“This means the water quality is often unnecessarily high when you consider the end use might simply be vehicle washing or toilet flushing.

“It also leaves businesses susceptible to possible disruptions and price fluctuations in the mains water supply, so investigating the Water Technology List is a good option.”

Introducing so-called rainwater harvesting systems would enable firms to use collected rainwater for toilet flushing, cleaning processes and cooling.

This would help to reduce demand on the mains supply.

Companies can search the list by visiting www.eca-water.gov.uk or go to www.envirowise.gov.uk