hand holding water globe

A blueprint to protect the future of our water supplies and environment from the impact of climate change and a growing population has received backing from CCW.

Today marks the launch of the National Framework for Water Resources opens in new window which brings together industry, regulators and government to transform the way we use and look after our water resources.

Spearheaded by the Environment Agency, the framework aims to help reduce demand, halve leakage rates, develop new supplies, move water to where it’s needed and reduce the need for drought measures that can harm the environment.

Action is urgently needed with the latest predictions estimating that if nothing is done, between 2025 and 2050 we’ll need more than 3.4 billion additional litres of water per day to meet future demand for public water supply.

Commenting on the framework, Rob Light – Chair of CCW – said: “We hope the framework will be a catalyst for the whole sector to unify its efforts in tackling one of the most urgent consumer and environmental challenges of our time – safeguarding the future of our water resources. It’s great we now have a clear plan in place but people will judge the sector on its actions.”

“Consumers want a safe, reliable supply of water but they also expect water companies to be good stewards of our rivers, streams and natural environment which also depend on there being enough water to survive. All of us have a part to play in the way we use water, but it’s vital we help consumers understand the scale of the problem and the steps that will need to be taken if we want them to be part of the solution.

The framework looks to ease the pressure on our future water supplies by:

  • Reducing demand to an average of 110 litres per person per day by 2050
  • Improving water efficiency across all sectors
  • Working with water companies to halve leakage rates by 2050
  • Developing new supplies such as reservoirs, water re-use schemes and desalination plants
  • Making it easier to move water to where it’s needed through regional water transfers
  • Reducing the use of drought measures that can impact the environment