New Funding Available for Businesses with Water Saving Ideas

Businesses in Hampshire, Sussex, Kent and the Isle of Wight are invited to apply for funding for new water-saving projects.

Southern Water’s Business Partnership Fund helps local firms and organisations to save water and reduce their bills.

The Business Partnership Fund is open to all retailers, businesses and third-party conservation providers in these regions. The next application window opened on Wednesday, 1 April 2026 and closes 15 July 2026. 

For more information and to apply please visit Business Partnership Fund – Southern Water. The fund supports collaboration between retailers, water‑efficiency organisations, and businesses to reduce reliance on mains water

Since it was launched in 2023, it has supported many projects such as rainwater harvesting for bear ponds, more than 20 new projects in schools, garden centres and leisure centres, saving more than 50 megalitres of water – the equivalent of 20 Olympic swimming pools.

Initiatives funded through the scheme include the installation of water-saving tech in hotels; rainwater harvesting on allotments; community halls upgrading to water-efficient washrooms and using recycled water for a construction company’s cleaning stations.

Saving water has never been more important as population growth, climate change and low rainfall means the South East faces the prospect of water demand outstripping supply by 2030.

As a new round of funding opens for applications, Southern Water’s Water Efficiency Manager Kayleigh Sharman is looking forward to seeing the ideas that come in.

Kayleigh said: “Our Business Partnership Fund has powered some truly innovative schemes, saving a huge amount of water at a time of water scarcity in the South East. We’re pleased to be offering a new round of funding to help more businesses in our region to become water efficient.

“If you have an idea for a project – whether it’s harvesting rain or shower water, fitting flow restrictors on taps, education or behavioural change programmes, or anything else – we want to hear from you.”