Within the next thirty years, England could face a huge shortage of water. So, what can be done to fix it?
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By 2055, estimates suggest England’s public water supply could be short by five billion litres per day – the equivalent of more than a third of supplies available today – if urgent action to future-proof resources is not taken. A further one billion litres a day will also be needed by this time to generate energy, grow food and power emerging technologies.
In short, water is needed – and there might not be enough of it to go around.
Only last month, England announced a ‘nationally significant’ water shortage, meaning the entire country was at risk of running out of water if dry weather persisted. To combat the water shortage, hosepipe bans were among other measures enforced.
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Why is England falling short?
Three main environmental pressures are touted as the main reasons for such shortages. For example, emerging industries such as data centres and hydrogen production require vast quantities of water to cool their systems. As such, the Environmental Agency wants businesses to consider using non-potable water – perfectly usable water not safe for human consumption – instead.
Climate change also plays a significant role in reducing the availability of water. By 2040, more than half of British summers are expected to be hotter than the 2003 heatwave, increasing the likelihood of water shortages.
Population growth is another major factor. The UK’s population is set to rise from 67 million to 75 million by 2050, increasing water demand across the country.
As well as this, each day, water companies lose billions of litres of water through leaky pipes. Some estimates say around 20 per cent of treated water never reaches taps as it seeps out of broken or damaged infrastructure.
Without adequate measures put in place, analysis has shown how seven out of 17 regions in England – the West Midlands, London, parts of the South West, the East Midlands, the East of England and the South East – will all face severe water stress by 2030.
To clarify, water stress is defined as when the demand for water exceeds the available local supply and is worsened by the effects of climate change and population growth.
In London, a severe water stress event could cost Thames Water up to £330 million per day.
What can be done to help?
While it may seem like a bleak future for Britain’s water supply, there are solutions to securing its viability.
Measures to combat water shortages include rolling out smart meters to consumers, who use 122 litres per day compared to 171 litres without one, as well as making household appliances such as dishwashers and toilets more efficient.
Brits notoriously underestimate how much water they use per day, estimating per average they use just 57 litres compared to the reality of 144.
On top of this, water companies plan to build nine new desalination schemes, ten new reservoirs and seven new water recycling schemes by 2050, potentially providing 670 million litres of extra water daily.
Already, plans are underway to fast-track two huge reservoir projects in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, scheduled to be completed in 2036 and 2040, respectively. However, there are concerns among some communities, who are asked to sacrifice their land and landscapes for water infrastructure that serves faraway urban areas.
Other, more innovative solutions include the widespread rollout of sustainable drainage solutions, which are able to capture rainwater where it falls – for example, on roofs or ditches filled with plants, instead of letting water go straight down drains and into rivers.
Desalination is also another viable option for increasing water supplies. This involves treating slightly salty seawater to remove the dissolved salts and other organic chemicals. After treatment, this water is potable. As well as this, water recycling can be used – a method involving taking water from wastewater, cleaning it and treating it to the highest standard.
What can an everyday consumer do?
For the everyday person, there are small steps that can be taken to reduce water wastage. These include shortening showers, turning off taps when brushing teeth, using full loads for washing machines and dishwashers, collecting rainwater for garden use and deleting old emails to reduce pressure on data centre servers.
