Total Cost Savings: £10,500 per year
Total Water Saving: 3,500 m³ per year
Payback Period (Including Repair): Less than 3 months

Introduction

Glynwood Primary School, located in Gateshead, has been working with Demeter since 2011 to improve its water management. In 2025, the school encountered a significant issue when a copper pipe leak occurred in a service tunnel under a corridor, making access difficult. This leak was identified due to Demeter’s monitoring service, which showed a gradual increase in constant water usage.

Demeter conducted a detailed survey, which revealed the burst copper pipe as the cause of the water loss. The school was then able to act on the information and arrange for a timely repair.

The Problem: Identifying a Hidden Leak

In 2025, Glynwood Primary School’s water consumption gradually increased, which was flagged by Demeter’s monitoring system. The school’s operations team performed an initial audit based on Demeter’s advice but could not pinpoint the issue. Demeter’s subsequent water audit revealed that a copper pipe had burst in a service tunnel, hidden from view and difficult to access.

The Resolution: Timely Leak Detection and Repair

Once the leak was detected, Demeter quickly arranged for repairs during the February half-term to minimise disruption. The repair was completed efficiently, and water usage was restored to normal levels. After the repair, Demeter continued monitoring the water usage to confirm that the issue had been fully resolved.

Before the repair, the school’s water loss was 58,000 litres every week

The Impact: Significant Savings and Sustainable Water Management

As a result of the repair, the cost saving to the school is £10,500 a year. Additionally, the water consumption reduction was significant, with the school saving 3,500 m³ of water annually. This represents enough water to fill 1.4 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The Impact

By addressing the water leak and implementing a monitoring system, Glynwood Primary School achieved:

• 57% reduction in water consumption
• £10,500 in annual cost savings
• 3,500 m³ of water saved annually, which is enough water to fill 1.4 Olympic-sized swimming pools

This case study demonstrates the value of proactive water monitoring in identifying hidden inefficiencies and enabling timely repairs. Without Demeter’s proactive monitoring service and expertise, this leak could have gone unnoticed for many more months or years, resulting in continued water waste and unnecessarily higher costs.