Case study - Rainwater harvesting at Chiswick Cricket Club

Washroom refurbishment and rainwater harvesting system

Chiswick Cricket Club

Sustainability in cricket

Chiswick Cricket Club, a prominent cricket club in West London, has been at the forefront of sustainability initiatives within the sports community. The club has embarked on multiple projects to enhance its facilities, particularly focusing on water conservation and creating a welcoming environment for women and girls. This case study highlights two key projects undertaken in partnership with Ecoprod: the refurbishment of the women’s washrooms and the installation of a rainwater harvesting system.

The need for improvement

The journey began with a recognition of the outdated facilities at the club, specifically the women’s washrooms. A survey among club members highlighted the necessity of upgrading these facilities to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment, especially as the club was expanding its women’s and girls’ teams.

The club successfully secured a grant through Middlesex Cricket, aligned with a theme of creating a welcoming environment for women and girls in cricket. This grant, combined with club funds and a sponsorship agreement with Ecoprod, set the stage for a significant refurbishment project.

Rainwater harvesting system

Motivation – Building on its commitment to sustainability, the club pursued a second grant to install a rainwater harvesting system. The system aimed to reduce the club’s reliance on mains water for pitch maintenance, a critical aspect of cricket that demands substantial water usage, particularly during dry spells.
The system – Installed in April 2023, the system consists of an underground tank that collects rainwater from the clubhouse roof. This water is then used to irrigate the cricket pitch, significantly reducing the club’s water footprint.
Challenges – The installation faced delays due to weather conditions, with freezing temperatures hindering excavation. Additionally, the unusually wet summer of 2023 meant that the system’s impact could not be fully assessed in its first season. However, the long-term benefits to the club are clear, particularly as climate patterns shift towards drier summers.

Women’s Washroom Refurbishment

The washrooms were in dire need of modernization. The project included replacing the toilets with low-water usage units, upgrading sinks, flooring, and cubicle walls, and installing a wall-mounted baby changing unit and new hand dryers. These upgrades not only enhanced the aesthetic appeal but also improved the functionality and sustainability of the facilities.

The project experienced some delays, extending from its initial planning in 2022 to its completion in March 2023. Despite these challenges, the club successfully implemented the upgrades before the start of the 2023 season.

The refurbished washrooms have been well-received, with positive feedback from members and visitors.

Strategic impact

The partnership with Ecoprod has positioned Chiswick Cricket Club as a leader in sustainability within the cricketing community. The club’s proactive approach, driven by a combination of personal commitment from the leadership and the strategic use of grants, has led to tangible improvements in both infrastructure and environmental impact.

The refurbishment of the women’s washrooms directly supports the club’s goal of creating a more inclusive environment, enhancing the experience for female members, visitors, and the broader community who use the club’s facilities.

While immediate water savings are difficult to quantify due to the weather, the long-term benefits of the rainwater harvesting system are clear. The club anticipates significant reductions in water costs and usage, contributing to its overall sustainability goals.

The women’s washrooms

We’re very engaged with water saving as a water conscious company. It’s something that’s personally very important to me as well as important to the club – it’s a no brainer really that this is what we should be doing.

The feedback has been great. The washrooms aren’t generally something people go out of their way to praise but when they’re not good you certainly get a lot of complaints, and so the fact that we don’t get any complaints at all now is a very good sign.

The rainwater harvesting system

It’s a forward-thinking investment for the club. Although we didn’t see the immediate benefits due to the wet summer, we’re confident that this system will prove invaluable in the coming years as we face drier conditions. It’s all part of our strategy to ensure the club is sustainable in every sense.

When we went into this project we agreed that the key measure of success was not only the amount of water saved but also the state of our wickets. Our priority for our members is to improve the playing experience and well as saving water and reducing our costs.

Working with Ecoprod

Working with EcoProd has been great. Marcus has been onsite a lot and has been very responsive, particularly with regard to the rainwater harvesting system which is not really my core area of expertise. We’re very keen to work with a company that shares our outlook on water and water saving, and Ecoprod has been flexible and creative in their approach to our partnership and making the whole thing work. We would work with Ecoprod again very, very happily if the opportunity arose. It’s been a very positive experience.

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