Vion is in the list of organisations shortlisted for this year’s Water Efficiency Awards, the leading scheme in England and Wales for recognising the achievements of organisations in promoting water efficiency announced by the Environment Agency this week.

The Agency said that those organisations shortlisted serve as examples of best practice to business leaders at a time when businesses are under pressure to reduce costs and deliver on sustainability commitments. The projects listed are proof that green business is good business, with the cost savings associated with sustainability measures often underestimated. Envirowise, the Government-funded programme to help businesses with the sustainable use of resources, estimates that UK companies could save £9 million a day through simple water efficiency measures.

This year’s awards highlight that utility firms are leading the charge in championing best practice with eight of the twenty two shortlisted entries coming from this sector. The agricultural industry is also very well represented with three businesses from this area being considered for awards.

Ian Barker, Head of Water at the Environment Agency said: "It is vital that businesses remain committed to best practice through this difficult economic period. The organisations shortlisted are shining examples of best practice for other businesses to follow.

"This year’s awards has seen entries of an extremely high calibre and the judges face a tough task to identify winners in each of the categories."

Vion UK's poultry processing site in Anglesey completed an Envirowise water audit which led them to implement a water minimisation project.

Their standard one inch hoses were replaced with pressure washers and lances; this ensured three times less water was used with the same results. Additionally, water pressure within the factory was reduced as a whole.

Some sprays in the second row of Featherators (water machines which remove feathers) were switched off as deemed unnecessary and the relocation of packing room to the source of collection has ensured large amounts of water are no longer necessary to carry the product to the packing room.

As a final precaution, Vion UK now regularly monitor their volumes of water using telemetry to read their main water meter and use manual readings of sub-meters installed around the site. These initiates have ensured a 19% of water savings in the 12 months since their audit, and large financial savings.

The Environment Agency Water Efficiency Awards, sponsored by Defra, Ofwat and the Food and Drink Federation. Backed by partners Business Link, Envirowise and the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment the Awards are in their ninth year and are the leading scheme in England and Wales to recognise the achievements of business in promoting water efficiency. The Environment Agency Water Efficiency Awards were launched in 2000 and are held bi-annually.

All winners will be announced at a ceremony on HMS President, London on Wednesday 15 July. Nine awards will be made in total, with gold, silver and bronze given in three categories – Water Save, Water Solve and Water Shout. Two further awards will be presented under the Chief Executive’s award for outstanding achievement, the contenders for which will be selected at a later date.