Energy savings mean cash back for Waitrose

Whilst many people frequent the national supermarket chain Waitrose for their weekly shop, few appreciate how much effort this company puts into creating a first class shopping experience and working environment in all its branches across the country.

Someone who does is David Upton, electrical services manager at Waitrose’s head office in Bracknell.

One of David''s many responsibilities is that of monitoring the hot water and heating systems in individual stores as these are important in helping to ensure that Waitrose satisfies essential legal requirements in respect of food hygiene and health and safety.

He has recently maximised the effectiveness of the systems in several stores by investing in Scalewatcher™ENiGMA electronic water treatment units which counter the effects of hard water, thereby saving on maintenance, replacement and running costs.

David first became aware of Scalewatcher™ENiGMA summer after a recommendation from a colleague in the engineering department of the John Lewis Partnership, the parent company of Waitrose. 

Environmental Treatment Concepts Ltd (ETC), who supply the units, invited him to see the technology in action at Southampton Geothermal Heating Company Ltd.  David was so impressed that he agreed to installations in Waitrose’s Reading and Caversham branches.

ETC sent application engineers to the sites in order to assess the needs of each branch and identify the best position to install the units.  Both sites now use the Scalewatcher™ENiGMA in their hot water systems, one linked to a purifier and the other in supporting a calorifier (used for the transfer of heat from the boiler system to the water needed for hand basins in the staff areas and behind fresh produce counters).

"After three months, we opened the calorifier to find that the interior surfaces were no longer coated with hard limescale.  Instead there was just a soft powdery substance that would be flushed away in the normal use of the system. This means that we no longer have to chip off limescale, which is difficult and time-consuming, or replace parts so often.  Importantly, less energy is needed to heat the water, which makes the whole process more environmentally friendly."

ETC Managing Director, John Thompson;

"We are thrilled that the Scalewatcher™ENiGMA has proved to be a successful and valuable asset to such a prestigious national company. ETC continues to offer the best advice and support,’ added David Upton. ‘The engineer has been working closely with us to ensure that Scalewatcher™ENiGMA is working to its maximum capability and I have applied to Waitrose’s chief engineer for this to be put onto our approved list of equipment for all future developments."