The water industry collects, treats and supplies more than 16 billion litres per day of water to domestic and commercial customers and then collects and treats more than 10 billion litres of the resulting wastewaters, returning it safely to the environment.
• Supply and demand
• Longer-term planning
• Meeting current needs
• Resource development
• Demand management
• Metering
• Leakage control
Two-thirds of our water comes from surface sources and a third from groundwater. Sources vary by region, and in London and the South East, groundwater accounts for around 70% of the total water supply.
Demands for water are continuing to rise and maintaining supplies to meet these demands is becoming increasingly difficult.
- The water industry draws water from more than 1,500 boreholes, 650 reservoirs and at 600 river abstraction points.
Over the past few years, several water suppliers have reported water deficiencies within their regions. The reasons for this include:
Climate changeThis is now recognised as the single most important issue we face as a global community. With climate change comes more extreme weather conditions, with drought decreasing the amounts of water available, reducing its quality and increasing demand.
Population growth and demographic changesThe development of new housing in areas of water stress and a doubling in the number of single person households since 1971 have increased demand for water.
- It is expected that London will have 800,000 new citizens by 2015 and single person households will account for 35% of the UK total by 2021.
Changing lifestyles
An increase in the number of water-dependent appliances, more bathrooms in our homes and other factors have led to greater water use and increased demand for water.
- On average, in the UK we use 150 litres of water per person per day.
Environmental regulationsEU legislation such as the Habitats Directive and standards on nitrates reduce the potential sources of public water supply.
In England and Wales water companies prepare long-term (25 years and more) water resource management plans in consultation with the Environment Agency. These became statutory in April 2007. A water resources plan for Scotland has also been prepared.
These plans take into account a wide range of supply and demand factors such as those detailed above and aim to ensure security of supply in the future. (The economic regulator for water in England and Wales, Ofwat, reports annually on security of supply.)
The rather short-term regulatory (and fiscal) framework within which the industry operated conflicted with the development of longer-term strategies for securing sustainable water supplies. Now, however, a longer-term approach is also being taken towards investment, and water companies have published strategic direction statements that look ahead 25 years and more.
Resources briefings & position papers
Water UK published policy positions
Water suppliers have implemented a number of responses to meet the needs of customers for water:
• reducing the amount of water lost through the distribution system
• encouraging water users to cut the amount of water wasted
• increasing the level of metering, to regulate demand
• developing new or enhanced water resources
• improving local and regional connectivity between water supply zones.
- Under extreme dry weather conditions, water suppliers may also have to turn to hosepipe and sprinkler bans and restriction orders to limit water use for non-essential purposes.
Understanding water restrictions
Water UK position paper March 2007
Levels of serviceDespite all the uncertainties – weather conditions, population growth in areas already under water stress, long-term economic planning – water suppliers have continued to improve levels of service while at the same time maintaining the quality of water delivered.
Managing demandMany parts of the UK have experienced drought in recent years. Water companies and the Environment Agency work together to keep people informed about what is being done to manage periods of drought and how they can help by using water wisely. A feature of this cooperation has been the development and sharing of new and existing resources to ensure that increasing demand is met.
Combined approaches with the environment agencies across the UK involve:
• managing water resources and providing bulk supplies to other companies in deficit in a region
• reviewing company water use to achieve further savings
• communication with all stakeholders on the need to use water wisely
• customer demand management initiatives.
Current water resources will need to be augmented in many areas to ensure the sustainability of future water supplies (see the water industry's latest security of supply indicators). This requires long-term planning, in terms of financial provision, seeking regulatory permits and in design and construction.
- Typically it takes 25 years from the concept of a new reservoir to bringing it into use.
New rainwater storage facilities (reservoirs), reuse of treated wastewaters and even desalination may all have a role. All options need to be reviewed in terms of environmental and social costs. All have implications for additional energy consumption and carbon emissions dependent on the treatment route.
Demand management has an important role to play. The drivers for more effective demand management include technological development and legislation/regulation.
Understanding customer behaviour is necessary in effectively targeting water efficiency measures and communicating the right messages to different customer groups, as well as influencing water appliance manufacturers.
Much research, some through the water industry research arm UKWIR, has addressed these issues, but further initiatives are needed – both by companies and through organisations like Waterwise. This is an independent non-governmental organisation set up by the industry in 2005 to drive forward water efficiency and improve the evidence base for cost-effective demand management.
Managing demand also requires Water UK, Waterwise and government groups to work closely with stakeholders, including regulators, the Consumer Council for Water, Waterwatch Scotland, local authorities, appliance manufacturers and both industrial and household customers. Legislation could also be important to ensure that our homes become more water efficient.
Being aware of how much water you are using, and paying for it on that basis, is seen by most people as one of the best ways to reduce demand. In 2008 around 33% of homes have water meters and most domestic customers can choose whether to have one fitted.
In 2007 the government consulted on the possibility of introducing metering in areas the Environment Agency identified as subject to serious "water stress".
The government has since issued a direction to require companies in such areas in drawing up and consulting on their draft statutory water resource management plans (WRMPs), to formulate and include an assessment of the costs and benefits of compulsory metering alongside the costs and benefits of other water supply and demand measures. This approach recognises that the most cost-effective approach to metering will vary across the UK.
The water industry has welcomed this postive step towards securing the public water supply and delivering environmental benefits in the future.
We also need to recognise that high levels of metering could have implications for affordability. Concerns that less well-off customers may limit their use to save money with a consequent risk to health or hygiene need to be addressed in parallel.
Water metering and charging - government information
Metering
Water UK position paper March 2007
Leakage control has been an integral part of water industry business for many years. Water suppliers work hard to meet annual leakage targets set by Ofwat and most companies consistently achieve or better these. As leakage levels are driven down, bursts become harder to find and further savings become more expensive.
- Leakage is 30% less now than it was in 1995.
Ofwat is reviewing its approach to leakage and targets. The industry is playing a central role in the move towards a more sustainable approach to leakage, and fully supports the review. One particular area under consideration is how to ensure the environmental and social costs and benefits of leakage reduction are more explicit.
- The UK water infrastructure includes 325,000km of mains and millions of joints.
The customer also has an important part to play, as around 30% of leakage is estimated to arise from customer-owned supply pipes, which are outside the water supplier’s direct control. All water suppliers have a policy to assist customers with repairs to reduce the amount of water being wasted.
- 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.
Leakage
Water UK position paper March 2007
Resources briefings
Water UK position papersClimate change
Leakage
Metering
National water grid
Planning and growth
Supply and demand
Water efficiency
Water resources planning
Water restrictions
Longer-term planning
Water company plansWater Resource Management Plans (WRMPs)
Water companies publish water resource management plans (WRMPs) to set out how they intend to provide a secure and sustainable water supply for the next 25 years. WRMPs are submitted to the government and also subject to public consultation and approval by the Environment Agency.
Security of supplySecurity of supply 2006-07
Ofwat annual report on resources
Useful links
Groundwater
Environment Agency background to our largest resource for water
Water Saving Group
Stakeholder group led by Defra to address key issues related to water efficiency
Future Water
Government water strategy for England
Defra website
UK government information on water resources and other strategic water issues
