An independent review of metering and charging, new building regulations with a minimum water standard for new buildings, a review of regulations on fittings and extension of the Water Saving Group to the industrial and commercial sectors are among the recommendations of DEFRA’s water strategy.

Launching the document Future Water, environment secretary Hilary Benn said pressures will worsen as climate change intensifies and ways of improving efficiency have to be found.“No one approach will work for all areas, but we must find ways of improving efficiency, and of reducing demand and wastage,” he said. “That’s what this strategy will help deliver.”

The strategy sets a target of reducing per capita water consumption from today’s 150l/day to 130l/day by 2030 and the document hopes that it can be driven down further to 120l by that date. There will be a review of water charging concentrating on whether to extend the rights of water companies to introduce mandatory metering in areas other than those under acute stress. Measures would be included to help vulnerable households.

The Government has already announced building regulation changes to introduce minimum water efficiency standards in new homes and this will be calculated on a whole building performance standard set at 125 l per person per day. The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 will be reviewed later this year and this will also cover enforcement issues, advances in technical standards and water conservation.
“We expect the demand for water efficient products from new housing to help drive the market and improve the efficiency of everyday water using products over time,” says the strategy.

The Water Saving Group will be extended to review water efficiency in the industrial and commercial sectors and to consider whether there is a case for further measures. There are also proposals for surface water drainage (separate story).

u http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/strategy/index.htm