Government must reinstate shelved water ambitions

Coronavirus is putting further pressure on scarce water resources and increasing energy usage at a critical time for the water industry. With the UK's net zero carbon target and the critical issue of balancing water supply and demand in the spotlight, the time to act is now, writes Ben Earl.

With most of the country working from home, combined with a hot summer in 2020, water usage typically increased by a further 20 per cent compared to an already high usage of over 140 litres per person per day.

The chief executive of the Environment Agency and a Parliamentary Select Committee have both issued dire warnings of severe problems if we don’t act now. The government however has chosen to delay plans to set a national water efficiency target, introduce a mandatory water label on water using products and increase building regulations for new developments.

Clear support was received for a water efficiency label on all water using products in a government consultation with industry and the public over a year ago, with the results still not officially having been published.

Research from the Energy Savings Trust showed this policy change alone could save householders £34 billion on their water and energy bills over 25 years, that’s £40 per householder per year. It also showed that an integrated scheme linked to minimum standards and building regulations has an overall benefit to cost ratio of 68:1 and energy savings equivalent over 25 years of taking one million cars off the road.

With the policy receiving the support of the water industry, consumer groups, affordability campaigners and even some developers, this policy change will tackle increasing water poverty and help to cut energy bills, as around a quarter of water usage is linked to hot water creation.

This change would also give the opportunity to join up water and energy policy in a more co-ordinated way. The National Water Framework said an additional 3,400 mega litres of water are needed each day to meet future demand. A policy change on labelling alone would meet 50 per cent of this shortfall.

More than 70 per cent of respondents to a recent government consultation supported a water label on water using products. We are calling on government to do what has been widely called for and make a water label mandatory on all water using products. This and other measures need to take place to ensure that as a nation we have enough water to go round to head off the predicted deficits in just nine years’ time.

The evidence is clear and support is mounting for meaningful action. The National Infrastructure Commission previously warned that severe drought restrictions could cost the economy up to £40 billion as a whole and we know the impact of rising debt levels on consumers.

We can’t let Covid stop the action that is needed now to meet our legally binding carbon targets and in ensuring our water supplies will be able to meet future customer demand.