As we begin to get ready for the oncoming cold winter, its important to be mindful of protecting our homes. Many problems can arise over the winter period in the form of underground leaks, leaks from heating systems and burst water pipes which can cause serious damage, cost and inconvenience. It is also important to remember other homes that may have tenants or holiday homes which are left unoccupied for long periods. Domestic Leak Detection. If you suspect a leak, the source of the leak must be found and repaired. Prior to calling your plumber give Smart Energy Systems a quick call to discuss your problem, we may be able to help pinpoint the location of your leak, which will minimize the floor space that you will have to take up. It can be hard to find the source of Water Leaks, because the water may travel along a pipe from the leak before it drips out. Our technicians are trained to spot the identifying factors for locating the exact spot where the leak began and carry with them a range of Leak Detection Equipment that will help trace and locate the position of the water leak. To find and fix the source of a leak, or for any advice in relation to conserving water, please feel free to contact us today. How to be prepared this winter. Make sure that all exposed water pipes and tanks are properly and adequately insulated. Consider purchasing frost protection cables. If you suspect your pipes are frozen, use a hot water bottle or hairdryer (keeping it well away from any water) on low heat will assist in achieving a gradual defrost. Always start from the end nearest to the tap. NEVER use a naked flame to thaw it out. During severe freezing temperatures try leaving the heating on constantly at a low heat. Open the attic trap door to allow heat into the attic. Inspect your cold water tank regularly. Know where your main stop valve is located and make sure you can turn it on/off. Repair dripping taps and toilets. Wrap a towel around an outside tap. Purchase a stopcock cosy to cover your external stockcock. Turn off the domestic water supply if your home is being left for a long period. Have the Smart Energy Systems number handy (tel: 0818 288 050) and call us or contact us ([email protected]) if you have any concerns or suspect a leak.
News Archives - SES Water | Water Management & Leak Detection | Ireland
source edie newsroom
Business leaders are being called on to address global water challenges by investing in projects that tackle scarcity and secure the world’s most precious resource.
Coinciding with this week’s World Water Week, a new report, Managing Water Use in Scarce Environments, introduces a framework to compare and evaluate water scarcity initiatives, which intends to allow business leaders and policy makers to quickly grasp the associated costs and potential impact that can be delivered.
Prepared by Arup for the 2030 Water Resources Group (2030 WRG), the report aims to encourage financial and political support at all levels of society, as well as provide insights into options for tackling water scarcity.
2030 Water Resources Group executive director, Anders Berntell, said: “This report provides a foundation for informed, collaborative decision making between the public and private sector; between government and finance and between local communities and city, regional and national authorities”.
The report also recommends giving prioritisation to projects which focus on reducing consumptive use of water; developing mechanisms and incentives which help reduce consumptive use and prioritisation of interventions that deliver the greatest basin level benefit at the lowest unit cost.
According to 2030 WRG’s, there will be a 40% gap between supply and demand for freshwater by 2030.
This growing gap between safe freshwater supply and water demand is “forcing the world to tackle the issue from a new and more collaborative perspective”, says 2030 WRG.
This includes cooperation between the government to provide appropriate policies and regulations, the private sector to provide innovation and technology, and civil society to provide inputs from the users.
Lead author of the report and Arup associate for Water, Mark Tindale, said: “Water affects every aspect of our lives – from personal health and well-being; through to the food we eat; products we buy; the shape of our towns and cities and economic and international development”.
“The challenge in preparing the publication has been establishing a simple mechanism to evaluate and compare the impact of a wide range of initiatives on river basin level water scarcity and communicate this in a manner that enables business leaders and policy makers to bring about meaningful change,” added Tindale.
Save water this summer and do your bit for the environment.
Saving water is critical during the long summer months and families can conserve water in many different ways. From making simple everyday changes to purchasing water efficient appliances, its easy to save water and protect our local environment.
The first step in reducing water use is change the way we do carry out daily activities, such as turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, taking shorter showers, making sure to run full loads in the dishwasher and washing machine, fixing leaks right away, and watering the lawn or plants just enough to keep them healthy.
The second step is to make hardware changes by replacing old, water wasting faucets, showerheads and toilets to more efficient models and eco-friendly options.
In most cases the bathroom and kitchen areas are the largest users of water and something as simple as a dripping tap or leaking toilet can waste thousands of litres per year!
Here are some examples of outlets with high water use;
Showers – using an average shower time of 8 minutes, electric and power showers can use anything from 100 to 120 litres of water. Simple and easy to install without compromising on performance, our low flow showerheads can reduce this by 60%. Buy a shower timer and monitor your use – A timer on your shower is an effective way to reduce showering times. Shorter shower times is a great way to use less water and energy.
Cisterns – standard at 9 or 12 litres a flush. That’s is lot of water to flush down the toilet, however if you install a water displacement bag you will save 3 litres of water every time you flush.
Taps – bathroom and kitchen taps can dispense huge volumes of water per minute which not only wastes water but also energy to heat the water. Install water saving aerators for as little as €4.50 each and save upto 50% at the sink.
Urinals – can flush every 5 to 15 minutes automatically depending on the setting and can use as much as 1500 litres per day, every day! Go Waterless with the Smart Retrofit System and save 100% of water immediately.
Heating system leaks – if you think you have a leak get it seen to immediately. Prior to calling your plumber give us a quick call to discuss your problem, we may be able to help pinpoint the location of your leak which will minimize the floor space that you will have to take up.
Toilet leaks – worn, old and poorly made toilet flappers can leak undetected, allowing water to continuously flow down the drain. Dye tables are used to identify leaks and can save thousands of gallons of water annually.
Rainwater – for every inch of water that falls on a surface of 1000sq ft it is possible to collect approx. 600 gallons of water ! Our Rainwater butts are the cheapest around and ship free to anywhere in Ireland.
Order on line today at www.watersavingproducts.ie or call us on 0818 288 8050.
Start today – save everyday.
In the run up to World Water Day 2013 its important that businesses do their bit to help save this precious resource.
Depending on the size of your business and the prices in your area, water conservation can mean saving hundreds and even thousands of Euro’s each year so make sure you have a water-saving strategy in place.
A good first step to save water in the workplace is to carry out an overall assessmnet of water consumption. Perform a detailed inspection of faucets, toilets and any other equipment that uses water.
Look for leaks and make repairs or replace as needed. If you suspect a large leak, the source of the leak must be found and repaired. Prior to calling your plumber give Smart Energy Systems a call to discuss your problem, we may be able to help pinpoint the location of your leak, which will minimize the floor space that you will have to take up.
Set up regular inspections and maintenace. If your water facilities are complex contact Smart Energy Systems and we will carry out a water audit and advise on where savings can be made.
Replace old or inefficient equipment – immediate saving on water will be realised.
- Install water saving aerators on faucets and reduce water usage by 50%.
- If your business uses urinals switch to Waterless Urinals and immediately stop unncessary flushing.
- Install water displacement devices in your toilet.
- Reduce your flow rates by over 60% by installing aerated showerheads.
As the costs of bringing water to a potable/drinking standard is increasing all the time, consider Rainwater Harvesting for your company.
Draft a water-use policy and involve employees by asking them for suggestions. Invite a representative from Smart Energy Systems to come and speak with employees and offer suggestions for saving water.
Sponsor a community water conservation project.
Visit the site 
25 February 2013, source edie newsroom Conor McGlone.
At least 20% of the 1,600 jobs created by Irish Water’s domestic water metering programme will be given to people from small local businesses and the unemployed, it was announced today.
In addition, the social inclusion commitment, which will form part of the regional management contractor’s contracts, will include the requirement that 5% of the jobs created will be apprentices, graduates or school leavers.
The metering programme starts in July 2013 and will run until September 2016, during which time over one million meters will be installed in homes across the country.
Ireland’s Minister for the Environment, Community & Local Government Phil Hogan said the programme would benefit small businesses and ensure that skilled workers are given an opportunity to re-enter the workforce.
The Irish Water metering programme will create up to 2,000 jobs including 1,600 on the ground installing meters and 400 in Irish Water’s call centre supporting the programme.
Hogan said: “Irish water will install 27,000 meters per month, which is a challenging target but deliverable by having local crews working on the ground. The commitment is to focus on developing a world class national water infrastructure that meets the needs of a growing population in a socially inclusive and sustainable manner.”
24 January 2013, source edie newsroom
The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide €200m (£168m) to support 23 water investment projects in Ireland, it was announced today.
Part of Ireland’s Water Services Investment Programme (WSIP), the projects in Dublin and in 10 counties around the country, will provide new water mains, water and wastewater treatment facilities and reservoirs, as well as measures to improve water conservation.
Minister for The Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan welcomed the funding, claiming it was an indication of the EIB’s confidence in Ireland and its recovery programme.
Reform in the Irish water sector is currently underway, which will see the responsibility for water services delivery moving from local authorities to a new public utility.
“This will fundamentally change the approach to funding capital investment in the sector in the years ahead including access to third party financing to address the considerable investment requirements of the sector,” said Hogan.
“These reforms will benefit individual householders, but will also attract industries with high water usage like agri-food, pharma-chem and IT. With global demand for water due to rise by 40% in just 20 years, Ireland will be well positioned to attract foreign and indigenous investment, creating real potential for new jobs within the country.”
The water investment initiative will include the replacement of more than 300km of water mains in Dublin City, South Tipperary, Galway and Limerick.
In addition, the investment will increase drinking water supply through two new reservoirs in Kerry and North Tipperary.
Of the 23 projects, four aim to reduce water loss in the distribution networks, seven relate to improvements in water supply structure and 12 relate to improvements in the wastewater infrastructure.
European Investment Bank vice president Jonathan Taylor said: “Investment in the Irish water infrastructure will significantly enhance water conservation measures, improve drinking water quality and reduce risks of pollution.
“The European Investment Bank recognises the considerable challenges and investment needed in the sector and is pleased to provide the first EIB support for investment in water infrastructure in Ireland for over a decade.”
Following agreement of the €200m loan, a first tranche of €100m will support immediate investment and a second tranche will follow as the investment programme progresses.
During 2012, the European Investment Bank provided €504m for long-term investment in Ireland.
Smart Energy Systems Launches New Online Water Saving Products Store
ENNIS, CO. CLARE – January 10th, 2013 – Smart Energy Systems Ltd (SES), the market leader in water conservation is pleased to announce the launch of its newly revamped website for the start of 2013.
www.watersavingproducts.ie is a bright, user-friendly site which provides instant access to a vast array of water saving products which can now be purchased on line with same day shipping.
The aim of the site is to ensure that domestic and commerical Irish customers can purchase efficient, effective and inexpensive water saving products which will help them save water and as a result save on their water bill. Some of the products include, tap aerators, water saving showerheads, toilet displacement bags and waterless urinals. The site also contains a host of water savings tip along with all of the relevant information on current water charges for each county in Ireland.
‘‘Our aim at SES is to help individuals and businesses to reduce their ever-increasing water costs by providing efficient, easy-to-install conservation products, and to assist clients to better manage and control their water consumption through leak detection and water monitoring.’’ said Michael Lyons, co-founder of Ennis based SES. Our vision is a world where water is never wasted.
“With businesses striving to minimise their costs, water conservation has moved up the agenda not only in industry, but also among cost-conscious and environmentally aware schools, hotels, leisure facilities and public venues, said Alan Treacy co founder of SES Ltd. ‘‘In addition, many of our conservation products, such as water-saving shower heads, urinal controls, push taps and aerators, can achieve cost savings of over 50%,’’ Treacy said.
SES also stock many essential water metering accessories, such as meter boundry boxes, pipe fitting and a range of meter connections which places the company in a good position to support upcoming domestic metering projects.
For more information, visit www.watersavingproducts.ie , e-mail [email protected] , or call 0818 288 050
Save water, protect the environment and save money this year by installing water saving devices in your office, hotel or factory. Smart Energy Systems have a host of water saving devices that can help you achieve your water saving goals for 2013.
The price of water in Ireland is likely to rise in 2013. For a business, this makes saving water more than a matter of environmental awareness. Depending on the size of your business and the prices in your area, water conservation can mean saving hundreds and even thousands of Euro’s each year.
A good first step to save water in the workplace is to carry out an overall assessmnet of water consumption. Perform a detailed inspection of faucets, toilets and any other equipment that uses water.
Look for leaks and make repairs or replace as needed. If you suspect a large leak, the source of the leak must be found and repaired. Prior to calling your plumber give us a quick call to discuss your problem, we may be able to help pinpoint the location of your leak, which will minimize the floor space that you will have to take up.
Set up regular inspections and maintenace. If your water facilities are complex contact us and we will carry out a water audit and advise on where savings can be made.
Replacing old or inefficient equipment can save a lot of water. Installing aerators on faucets can reduce water usage by half. If your business uses Urinals switch to Waterless Urinals and immediately stop unnecessary flushing. Install water displacement devices in your toilet. Reduce your flow rates by over 60% by installing aerated shower heads.
As part of the overall assesment, put procedures in place that can reduce water consumption. Consider using rainwater as a source or investigate options for recycling used water.
Draft a water-use policy and involve employees by asking them for suggestions. Invite a representative from Smart Energy Systems to come and speak with employees and offer suggestions for saving water. Sponsor a community water conservation project.
Posted on 4 December 2012, Environment & Energy Management.
The quality of drinking water in Ireland continued to improve in 2011, according to a new report released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA’s Drinking Water Report for 2011 is based on results from 250,000 monitoring tests; it shows that public water supplies serving more than 80% of the population have improved year-on-year since the EPA created a Remedial Action List over four years ago. There were 339 public water supplies needing remedial action on the list when it was created four years ago, now there are 183. Remedial works in a further 90 will be complete by year end.
“The work we have been doing with Local Authorities is paying off,” says Gerard O’Leary, Director of EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement. “The number of occurrences of E.coli in public supplies is down by almost 90% since 2005 as a result of better monitoring, management, processes, and disinfection.”
The quality of the water from private supplies, however, remains inferior to that from public supplies and is a growing cause for concern. The HSE reported a doubling of the number of VTEC cases this year. VTEC can be transmitted in a number of ways, e.g. person to person, waterborne, or foodborne. The second most common transmission route reported by the HSE this year so far is waterborne transmission. VTEC is a harmful member of the E. coli family, which may lead to kidney failure. (Public water supplies are disinfected – disinfection kills all E. coli including VTEC.)
“We are concerned about the growing number of VTEC cases,” says Valerie Doyle, Senior Inspector, Office of Environmental Enforcement. “Any form of E. coli is an indicator of fecal matter in the water supply, and VTEC is a harmful form of E. coli. It may cause gastroenteritis, but its toxins can lead to far more serious consequences including kidney failure. We would urge the owners of private supplies to check their water sources, and they will get vital information on what to look out for on Local Authority and EPA websites.”
Bad weather increases the challenge to water supplies as high levels of rainfall can lead to more potential contaminants being washed into water supplies. Private supplies are more vulnerable; they are less secure than public water supplies, which now have high levels of monitoring, alarms, and disinfection.
“We would urge the owners of private wells to test them carefully, given the bad weather we’ve had,” adds Valerie Doyle. “Owners should ensure that they are designed, located, installed and maintained properly. Wells should be tested regularly, particularly after a prolonged period of heavy rainfall, since this is when the well may be overwhelmed and become contaminated.”
We are in the midst of the worst period for Water Leaks in piping. The cold frosty weather results in both Domestic and Commercial Water Leaks.
Domestic Water Leaks due to the extra pressure put on domestic heating systems, along with damage caused by the frost to outside fittings, meters and stop cocks. Leaks cause aggravation for a homeowner and damage to the home. If you suspect a leak, the source of the leak must be found and repaired. Prior to calling your plumber give us a quick call to discuss your problem, we may be able to help pinpoint the location of your leak, which will minimize the floor space that you will have to take up.
Commercial Leak Detection. One of the services offered by our leak detection crews is the location of leakages on water mains. We carry out work for a number of County Councils, Group Water Schemes, along with private organizations, Water Leaks in a Factory, Water Leaks in Hotels, Water Leaks in Hospitals, Water Leaks in Schools, along with many others. It can be hard to find the source of Water Leaks, because the water may travel along a pipe from the leak before it drips out. Our technicians are trained to spot the identifying factors for locating the exact spot where the leak began and carry with them a range of Leak Detection Equipment that will help trace and locate the position of the water leak.
To find and fix the source of a leak, or for any advice in relation to conserving water, please feel free to contact us today.
