water availability

The not-for-profit group, Waterwise has asserted that there is a need to “generate a water-saving culture” and promote water efficiency throughout the UK in order to combat the serious challenges that await, including the challenges of reduced supply and increased demand.

In a wide-ranging report, the organisation said this could be achieved through a large-scale combined communication campaign, which would need the involvement of water companies, government and other key stakeholders.

This project assessed the performance of different types of public water supply systems in England and Wales in a range of droughts, including those that are more severe than the worst droughts in the historical record.

This information was used to identify the relative sensitivity of different supply systems under stress. The results of these ‘stress tests’ will help to improve our understanding of water supply system sensitivity to drought.

Despite being regarded as a country of fairly inclement weather, the UK has less water available per person than most European nations. Using water more efficiently will help ensure that bills remain affordable and water supplies are reliable now and in the future.

Reducing pressure on water resources is necessary, not only by developing new resources, but also in tackling the inefficient use of water. Being water efficient means taking simple steps to reduce water use and employing water-saving technologies which will also save both energy and money.