In mid-August, as the UK experienced its fourth heatwave of the year, British media outlets reported that the country's water regulator had spent £270,000 on a campaign encouraging Muslims to use less water for wudu, the Islamic ablution ritual, and Asian communities to reduce water usage when washing rice. The Telegraph and other outlets described the initiative as "bizarre" water-saving advice.
The campaign was developed in collaboration with Cambridge Central Mosque as part of a broader "water efficiency in faith and diverse communities" project. Many mosques have independently run no-waste wudu campaigns for years, installing automatic shut-off taps and raising awareness among congregants, according to the source account.
The London Assembly released a report noting that data centre construction in the capital will significantly delay housing projects, a longstanding crisis in the city. The Save Brick Lane campaign has protested construction of a data centre at the site of the historic Truman Brewery, citing competition with social housing needs.
The media framing of the water campaign linked the broader project, which worked with multiple communities across the country, primarily with Muslim communities and lifestyle practices, the account stated. This occurred against a backdrop of rising incidents of Islamophobia in Britain.
