Water demand in the UK to outstrip supply

Businesses, farmers and householders need to become more water-efficient as climate change and population growth increase pressures on resources and lead to more droughts, warned two Environment Agency reports.

In many parts of the country, there is no further water available for farmers and businesses to abstract

Demand for water is likely to outstrip supply across the whole of the country if the system currently used to manage water is not radically overhauled, they said.

The reports also warned that changes in rainfall and increases in temperature could lead to iconic fish species, such as Atlantic salmon and brown trout, being lost.

The studies published to support the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Water White Paper, Water for Life, found that droughts of 12 to 18 months in duration are likely to become more common in the future.

The Case For Change, Current And Future Water Availability reported that those areas already experiencing water stress, such as the South East of England and Greater London, will potentially see the population increase by more than 40 per cent, which will make the problem worse.

And The Case For Change, Reforming Water Abstraction Management In England, a joint report with water services regulation authority Ofwat, found that the system used to manage water today will not be able to provide access to secure supplies of water in the future, while also protecting the environment.

This report also found that, in many parts of the country, there is no further water available for farmers and businesses to abstract.

The reports stress that consultation with industry, water companies, consumers and farmers must take place before a reformed system comes into place by the mid-2020s.

But they also said that all water users, businesses and householders need to be aware that there will be less water available in the future and urged them to take steps now to become more water-efficient and to think about their water supply arrangements.

Trevor Bishop, head of water resources at the Environment Agency, said: “In the future, climate change and population growth will increase the pressures on our water resources. We need to plan carefully to secure sustainable water supplies for people, businesses and the environment.”