The Environment Agency has warned that Climate change and population growth will cause severe water shortages, forcing consumers to reduce their current usage.
Water resources are already under pressure in many parts of the country with 25 million people living in areas where there is less available water per person than Spain or Morocco.The average Briton currently uses 148 litres every day.
In their recently published –Water Resources Strategy for England and Wales' they outlined the measures that should be implemented to help protect water resources to 2050 and beyond.The strategy's key recommendations are:
Metering – to allow prioritisation to the most water stressed areas.Metering should be accompanied by suitable tariffs to provide an incentive to reduce use.
Water industry and regulation – review of regulations to allow sharing of water across company boundaries.
Water reduction targets for different categories of use
Water efficient products and regulations for new buildings
Incentives on water efficient products, including a possible reduction or removal of VAT.
Appliances that use water will have an improved water efficiency labelling system
More stringent water efficiency standards for fixtures, fittings and appliances.
Water accounts for over six percent of the UK's carbon footprint, which includes the transport, heating and treatment of water. Universal metering of households could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to between 27 and 40 % of the total UK Carbon Reductions Commitment target.
