Water-saving community fund

We’re committed to protecting water and supporting the communities we serve.

About the fund

To help make a difference, we’ve launched the Water Saving Community Fund - dedicated to empowering local projects that conserve water and strengthen communities.

Each year, we’re providing £25,000 to support not-for-profit organisations and community groups with ideas that deliver measurable water-saving results.

Funding is now open

The Water-Saving Community Fund will remain open until December 2026.

Why it matters

Water is a precious resource and together, we can protect this resource for future generations. By working with our customers and communities, we can reduce the amount of water that is waste and promote water-saving across our region.

How to apply

You will need to create a project application outlining what you need the funding for and the anticipated impact.

Click here to apply

Why it matters

Who and what we can support – fund eligibility criteria

To apply for a share of the community funding, your project needs to help save water and benefits your community.

This could involve one or more of the following:

Installing rainwater harvesting systems
Creating drought-tolerant gardens
Inspiring water-wise habits through education

If you have any questions about the fund or want to check if you are eligible, see our FAQ’s below.

Who can apply

We welcome applications from anyone in our service area who’s passionate about saving water. The following are eligible to apply:

For grants over £1,000:
Schools, registered charities, not-for-profits, constituted groups, or Community Interest Group (CIC)
For grants of £1,000 or under:
Local community groups such as scout troops, garden clubs, sports teams or allotments.

What you can use the funding for

We’re here to help bring your project to life. Things we can fund include:

Buying or hiring equipment
Materials for building or landscaping
Training sessions or workshops
Paying staff who are hands-on with the project
Hiring professionals like builders or design consultants

What doesn’t qualify for funding?

While we’d love to support every great idea, there are some things we can’t fund:

Applications submitted by a person aged under 18 years of old
Commercial businesses that make a profit (e.g. limited company, sole trader)
Individuals
Organisations and projects based outside of our service area
Projects where we’re not the majority funder and will require further funding to complete
Retrospective costs – we will only fund new projects
Projects with a political or religious purpose*
Projects that have been unsuccessful with an application in the same financial year

_{* We welcome applications from religious organisations - so long as the project is inclusive, benefits the wider community, and is free from religious content.}

We welcome applications from anyone in our service area who’s passionate about saving water. The following are eligible to apply:

For grants over £1,000:
Schools, registered charities, not-for-profits, constituted groups, or Community Interest Group (CIC)
For grants of £1,000 or under:
Local community groups such as scout troops, garden clubs, sports teams or allotments.

We’re here to help bring your project to life. Things we can fund include:

Buying or hiring equipment
Materials for building or landscaping
Training sessions or workshops
Paying staff who are hands-on with the project
Hiring professionals like builders or design consultants

While we’d love to support every great idea, there are some things we can’t fund:

Applications submitted by a person aged under 18 years of old
Commercial businesses that make a profit (e.g. limited company, sole trader)
Individuals
Organisations and projects based outside of our service area
Projects where we’re not the majority funder and will require further funding to complete
Retrospective costs – we will only fund new projects
Projects with a political or religious purpose*
Projects that have been unsuccessful with an application in the same financial year

_{* We welcome applications from religious organisations - so long as the project is inclusive, benefits the wider community, and is free from religious content.}

Review and decision timeline

Our project team will review all applications under £1,000 on a monthly basis and projects over £1,000 will be reviewed twice a year in April and October.

If you’re successful, we’ll contact you by email and you’ll be asked to provide some further due diligence information before the grant is transferred.

Please note: if you don’t hear from us that doesn’t mean you’re unsuccessful, due to the volume of demand we may revisit your application at a future review. We’ll aim to respond to all applications we can’t support on a regular basis, at which point you’ll receive an email notification.

Need help?

If you have any questions or want to check eligibility, we’re happy to help, email us at wscf@bristolwater.co.uk.

Real impact, real inspiration

Discover how we’ve helped one water-saving project and get inspired to start your own.

Growing wellbeing through water-wise gardening

Sector: Health & Wellbeing Community Services

Organisation:

Volunteer-led initiative supporting service users and providers, including individuals affected by mental health challenges, loneliness, domestic violence, and addiction recovery.

Project overview:

This initiative creates a healing outdoor space where NHS, police, and fire service staff can grow their own produce - supporting both physical and mental wellbeing. The project also benefits vulnerable community members through inclusive, therapeutic gardening.

Water-saving solution: