England facing larger water shortage than previously forecast

England could be facing a worse water deficit than calculated two years ago according to data from regional water plans that have shown an extra 1,500 megalitres of water are now expected to be needed daily by 2050 if no action is taken.

The first regional water resource plans that join areas of surplus water with those facing a deficit launched this week to meet the predicted deficit of 3,435 megalitres per day by 2050.

Demand reduction will play a critical role in managing water resources to protect the environment while longer term infrastructure schemes are prepared, the heads of the water resources groups said at the launch of the regional plans.

Five regional water resource management groups – North, West, East, South East and West Country – published the initial drafts of the documents that will feed into individual water companies’ five-year water resource management plans later this year.

The EA launched the National Framework for Water Resources in March 2020 to set out what future water needs might look like and what action would be required now to avoid future droughts.

Since the publication of the National Framework two years ago, Jean Spencer independent chair of National Water Resources Framework, said demand estimates have changed with the deficit now calculated to be 1500Ml/day worse than the 2020 forecast.

Speaking at the launch of the regional plans, Spencer said the biggest driver for creating joined up resource plans was environmental concerns to reduce abstraction from chalk streams. Water UK is developing a roadmap for the sector-wide commitment to cut leakage by 50%. However, Spencer noted that addressing the deficit will require reduced consumption by household and business customers. She said demand reduction and cutting leakage could cover half the future requirement, but additional supply options will also be needed.

Paul Hickey, director of the regulators alliance to progress infrastructure development (RAPID) said the plans need ambition on demand management at their hearts and that open engagement is essential to bring customers along on the journey.

Nationally, challenges and opportunities vary. Granville Davies, head of Water Resources North said the north was historically considered a region of surplus but that view is changing with deficits predicted in Yorkshire and potentially Northumbrian catchments by 2065 if no action is taken. He said demand reduction was anticipated to meet the deficit but all plans would be adaptive to respond to challenges as they change or develop and technologies emerge.

He said the energy industry in the north east around Humber could would require large amounts of water for carbon capture and storage and hydrogen production.

In the south east and east of England the demand for water from other parts of the country will be highest due to drier regions and population growth. Around 50% of the national need will be in the south east, Dangerfield said.

Speaking for Water Resources South East, Trevor Bishop said pressures on supplies will be significant and demand management could close up 50% of the gap between demand and supply. He said plans to further reduce leakage by 2040 would make companies world class on leakage but cutting consumption to 110 litres per person daily would require policy input from government.