Government Announces New Water-Saving Solutions
The government has announced a raft of new water-saving measures to help households use water more efficiently, as part of its ambitious agenda to build back greener following the coronavirus crisis.
Water supplies are coming under increasing pressure from both population growth and climate change, with these new commitments serving to safeguard supplies for the future.
Proposals now put forward include bringing in mandatory water efficiency labels for the likes of showers and dishwashers, helping consumers make more informed choices about how to save water without making significant changes to their lifestyles.
Water companies will also be asked to come up with a consistent approach on how to fix customer supply pipe leakage. Approximately 25 per cent of total leakage over the last ten years has come from customer supply pipes.
And local authorities will be encouraged to adopt a tighter standard of 110 litres of water per person per day, compared to the current standard which is 125 litres. Developers of new homes will also be required, where appropriate, to install more efficient fixtures and fittings.
Finally, a roadmap will be devised that will focus on greater water efficiency in both new developments and retrofitted properties, including measures such as rainwater harvesting, water reuse and storage options.
The aim of these new proposals is to balance the increasing demand on national water supplies with the ambitions set out in the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan to achieve clean and plentiful water.
The measures also form a key part of the 2050 net zero target by reducing energy consumption in homes, with heating water accounting for around 17 per cent of the typical household’s energy use.
Rebecca Pow, environment minister, said: “We often take our supply of clean and plentiful water for granted. We must all work harder to tackle the pressures on our water resources by understanding and challenging ourselves on how much water we need to use in our daily lives.
“While I have been clear that water companies must up their game and take urgent action in reducing leakage, this new package of measures will help us all to use less water.”
A further seven water company areas have also been designated as being in serious water stress. These are Severn Trent, South Staffordshire, Wessex, Portsmouth, Cambridge, the Bournemouth area of South West Water and the Isles of Scilly, all of which will have to publish a water resources management plan.
Businesses keen to start saving water at work have various options available to them, whether that’s switching water supplier, having a water audit carried out, focusing on water leak detection and repair, investing in water-saving appliances or staff training.
If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with the team at SwitchWaterSupplier.com today to see how we can help you become more water resilient in the future.