A sustainable water policy requires that losses in the distribution system are kept to an economic level.
With more than 325,000km of mains and millions of joints vulnerable to ground conditions and traffic pressure, it will never be possible to reduce UK leakage to zero. However, leakage needs to be maintained at the point where the environmental, economic and social cost of water saved by reducing leakage is equal to the cost of new resources.
In the UK we have particular problems due to the age of many mains and their poor condition resulting from inadequate investment over generations. More than half the mains below London are reckoned to be over 100 years old. One third are over 150 years old. The picture is similar in many other major cities in the UK.
It is accepted by all industry stakeholders that in the past other elements of water management, such as improving drinking water and reducing pollution, have been higher priorities for investment than the maintenance, repair or replacement of leaking pipes.
Overall the industry in England and Wales has succeeded in cutting leakage by 30% since 1995 and European Environment Agency figures show that we do well by European standards. In Australia losses are in line with levels in England and Wales, while US companies tend to have higher leakage levels. However any relaxation in meeting this complex challenge would be a mistake. Most companies are meeting their leakage targets, set by Ofwat; those that are not are working vigorously to achieve them.
New strategy on leakage
In the past the industry tended to operate a ‘find and fix’ policy. Changing emphasis from companies, the regulator and government means that in the future we will see more wholesale mains replacement. This is a more effective and efficient method of cutting losses from the network.
When considering leakage it is also worth remembering that more than a quarter of the loss is from supply pipes leading from the mains to customers’ premises. Customers have responsibility for these pipes, though Ofwat notes that the water companies arrange repairs or replacements on more generous terms than those required by law.
More information:
Water UK Communication
020 7344 1809
