Water Usage

Water plays an important role in the manufacture of Portland Stone. It is used during cutting and finishing to cool machinery, control dust and support the accurate production of finished stone.

Albion Stone is committed to managing this resource responsibly. Through improvements to our production methods, water harvesting and a dedicated recycling system, we have reduced our reliance on mains water and significantly lowered overall water consumption.

Reducing water consumption

Changes to our manufacturing operations have helped reduce total water consumption by more than 50%. 

We continue to monitor how water is used throughout the factory and look for opportunities to reduce demand through improved technology, careful maintenance and more efficient production methods.

Reducing water consumption forms part of our wider approach to the responsible manufacture of Portland Stone.

Recycling water used in production

Albion Stone has installed a dedicated water recycling system that allows more than 99% of the water used in production to be recycled.

Water used during stone cutting and finishing is collected and processed so that it can be returned to the manufacturing system. This creates a continuous cycle that considerably reduces the amount of fresh water required.

Recycling water also helps us manage the stone particles produced during cutting, allowing the water to be treated and reused rather than discharged after a single use.

Harvesting water onsite

Our large scale water harvesting system further reduces the amount of mains water required by our Portland factory. Rainwater collected onsite can be used within our operations, helping us make better use of naturally available water.

We continue to explore opportunities to increase our water harvesting capacity and improve the availability of collected water throughout the year. 

Supporting cleaner and safer production

Water management is not only about reducing consumption. Water is also used to control dust and keep cutting equipment cool during the manufacture of Portland Stone.

Effective dust control supports a cleaner working environment and forms part of our wider commitment to health and safety.

By recycling the water required for these processes, we can retain the practical benefits of wet cutting while limiting demand for fresh water.

Continual improvement

Our objective is to reduce water consumption further through careful management, improved manufacturing technology and increased harvesting capacity.

We are working towards this by:

• Monitoring water use across our manufacturing operations
• Maintaining and improving the efficiency of our recycling system
• Increasing the use of harvested water
• Identifying and addressing leaks or unnecessary consumption
• Considering water efficiency when investing in new machinery
• Continually reviewing how water is used during stone production

Water use also forms part of the environmental information assessed within an Environmental Product Declaration, alongside extraction, energy, production efficiency and material yield. This gives project teams a more complete understanding of the environmental impact associated with a building product.

Responsible Portland Stone production

By reducing consumption, harvesting water onsite and recycling more than 99% of the water used in production, Albion Stone limits the demand placed on mains water during the manufacture of Portland Stone. 

This approach forms part of our wider commitment to continuous improvement and responsible natural stone production.

Learn more about why Albion Stone is the environmental choice.