When we started Zerava, our aim was not simply to create another mobile vehicle-care
service. We wanted to show that professional vehicle care could be delivered more
sustainably, more conveniently and in a way that fits naturally around customers' lives.
Receiving £3,500 from the Southern Water Business Partnership Fund is an important step
in that journey. The funding will help us expand awareness of our water-saving approach
across Southampton, strengthen our operational capacity and measure the impact of the
project as more customers choose an alternative to conventional vehicle washing.
Why this matters
Vehicle washing is often treated as a routine activity, but conventional methods can use
significant quantities of mains water. Zerava's exterior-care process works differently. Our
service does not require access to a customer's hose, outdoor tap or mains-water
connection. It is delivered while the vehicle is already parked and without conventional
wash-water runoff at the service location. Each completed clean is estimated to save more
than 150 litres of water compared with a conventional vehicle wash.
This approach is particularly relevant during periods of water pressure and restrictions, but
the purpose of the project goes beyond any single hosepipe ban. Our wider ambition is to
help make water-saving vehicle care a practical, trusted and everyday choice.
What the funding will support
The Southern Water funding will help us deliver a focused programme of awareness,
operational development and impact measurement. It will support:
- Local awareness and educational activity
- Digital and printed marketing campaigns
- Improved visibility through signage and suitable partnerships
- Additional products and equipment to increase service capacity
- Measurement of completed services and estimated water savings
This will allow us to deliver the model at a more meaningful scale and build stronger
evidence around customer uptake, operational performance and estimated water-saving
impact.
In Southern Water’s words
“The Water Efficiency Business Partnership Fund provides valuable support to help businesses, schools and retailers deliver water-saving initiatives. We are delighted to support this project, learn from its outcomes, and help reduce water use. With water scarcity a growing challenge in the South East, initiatives like this play an important role in protecting this precious resource for the future.”
Kayleigh Sharman
Water Efficiency Manager, Southern Water
Making sustainable choices easier
We believe sustainable behaviour is more likely to become part of everyday life when it does
not require customers to compromise on convenience. That principle shapes the way Zerava
operates.
The service comes to the vehicle while it is already parked at home, at work or at another
suitable location. Customers do not need to make a separate journey, wait at a fixed car
wash or provide access to running water. By fitting vehicle care around the customer's
existing routine, Zerava aims to make a more water-efficient choice easier to adopt and
maintain.
What comes next
The next stage will focus on delivering the funded project, expanding local awareness and
measuring the results. We will monitor customer uptake, completed services and estimated
water savings while continuing to improve how Zerava operates across Southampton.
We are grateful to Southern Water for supporting the project and recognising the potential of
a more water-efficient approach to vehicle care.
For Zerava, this grant is not the final outcome. It is an opportunity to demonstrate that
vehicle care, convenience and environmental responsibility can work together at a greater
scale.