Manchester City Football Club has announced a reduction in water consumption by 50 million litres this past season, with the Club attributing a substantial share of this success down to the water technology solutions and technical advice provided by Xylem.
Central to achieving this reduction was an improved attenuation tank that enables the safe reuse of rainwater for sustainable pitch irrigation at the Club’s industry leading training facility – City Football Academy (CFA).
Delivered in collaboration with Xylem, the attenuation tank upgrade at CFA has reduced the Club’s reliance on potable water by as much as one million litres per day, representing a 70% decrease compared to the original system.
Supplementary to the attenuation tank, the Club now draws non-potable water from an underground borehole. By implementing a new energy-efficient borehole pumping solution, the Club has achieved a 25% reduction in energy usage – a saving of approximately 14 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
And the work between Xylem and City Football Group (CFG) will continue to go from strength to strength, with Manchester City actively consulting its water technology partner to identify further solutions to improve water efficiency.
As part of this, the club has committed to reducing potable water consumption by 50% and minimising stormwater discharge by harvesting 80% of it by 2025.
“As water concerns escalate, it’s more important than ever for our Club, together with its players, fans and community, to team up to protect the world’s most essential resource,” said Pete Bradshaw, Director of Sustainability at City Football Group. “On the pitch, we never rest and strive to improve every season, and our attitude to sustainability is no different. Our work with Xylem has already shown that we can significantly improve water usage and efficiency, putting us on the right path to achieving our goals.”
In addition to enabling innovative technology deployments, the partnership between City Football Group and Xylem provides a unique platform to promote awareness of global water challenges and empower fans worldwide to take action. Following the Club’s ‘Water Champions’ campaign, launched together with Xylem on World Water Day 2023, nearly 60,000 UK football fans have committed to daily actions to save water.
Austin Alexander, Vice President of Sustainability and Social Impact at Xylem, said:
“Our partnership with City Football Group demonstrates what can be achieved through innovative thinking and partnership. It highlights that sustainable water stewardship goes beyond simply reducing consumption; it’s about raising awareness and inspiring action. By saving water on the pitch and educating millions of football fans globally, we can take meaningful steps toward a more water-secure world.”
