Can for the Cam, the summer water-saving campaign we ran in 2023, and which preceded our current campaign 'Yes We Cam', has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Net Zero Engagement Award at the Utility Week Awards 2024.

The Utility Week Awards

The Utility Week Awards celebrate sector-leading examples public service, and recognise outstanding achievement in areas from diversity and customer service to behaviour change and decarbonisation.

Can for the Cam

Launched in July 2023, Can for the Cam aimed at reducing seasonal high demand in water by encouraging customers to switch to using a watering can rather than a hosepipe to help protect groundwater resources and precious local chalk streams, including the River Cam. An ordinary garden hose can use up to 1,000 litres of water an hour, the same as an average adult uses in a whole week. Compare that to using a watering can for one hour and you’d only use around 200 litres an hour.

Residents across Cambridge were encouraged to make the switch when watering their plants and washing their cars and thanks to an amazing collective effort, 940,000 fewer litres of water per day were used across the summer compared to normal summer rates.

What came next?

This summer, Cambridge Water launched 'Yes We Cam', a step on from Can for the Cam, where we asked Cambridge residents to commit to one of six water saving pledges. 

Cambridgeshire’s chalk streams are under threat, and these rare and precious natural habitats need our help. We asked locals to make one small change to their everyday water habits and play their part in our county’s biggest ever water-saving action to save our chalk streams for generations to come. 

You can read more about the campaign on our dedicated website. 

Delivering on customer priorities

Utility Week editor James Wallin said of this year's award nominees: “The breadth and quality of entries this year presented a real challenge for our judges and led to a really strong shortlist. It was great to see such a focus on collaboration and sustainable solutions, alongside a growing awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion.

“This year we really stressed to the entrants that we wanted to see evidence of going above and beyond regulatory requirements and striving to deliver on customer priorities. The sector has stepped up to that challenge and I look forward to announcing who has really excelled when we gather on 3 December.”

You can learn more about the awards on the Utility Week Awards website.