Two organisations have warned of water shortages as the population grows, commercial demand increases and climate change adds to the challenges.
Southern Water and Water Resources South East published separate forecasts highlighting the increasing pressures likely to affect our water supply.
The south east could face a shortfall of a billion litres a day by 2035 unless action is taken, according to Water Resources South East, which represents the region’s six water companies.
And Southern Water, which supplies Brighton and Hove, pledged to spend billions of pounds to ensure supplies are maintained and enhanced while providing better protection for the environment.
Southern said: “Our ‘Water Resources Management Plan’ – which is open to public consultation – sets the challenge of replacing more than a quarter of the water we currently use by 2050 as we seek to enhance and protect our environment.
“We will do this by driving down demand and increasing supplies, with commitments including
- reducing leakage by at least 50 per cent by 2050 by embracing new technology and replacing old water mains
- helping customers to reduce their average daily use to 100 litres per day – below the plan’s minimum goal of 109 litres per day by 2040
- investing in two new reservoirs and improving our existing water storage capacity
- embracing new technology like water recycling and desalination at sites across our counties
- joining up with other water companies in the south east to build more pipelines to transfer supplies to where it is most needed
…
“And we have also published our own updated Drought Plan, setting out what we’ll do to manage our water supplies when a drought occurs.”
Southern Water’s water strategy manager Nick Price said: “Water scarcity and shortfalls driven by climate change, population growth and increasing demand from industry are challenges we are ready for.
“This plan sets out the decisions we need to take to make sure there’s enough water for everyone in our region, now and in the future, and to protect and enhance our shared environment.
“We want to embrace new technology, taking actions to both reduce demand and increase supply.
“This approach will make our services more resilient, meaning the drought restrictions we saw over the summer will become less likely while we also protect and improve the environment we rely on.
“We cannot achieve our goals without our customers and stakeholders. That’s why it’s so important that we hear from as many of you as possible. We look forward to hearing your views and working together to provide Water for Life.”
Southern Water’s Water Resources Management Plan is open for public consultation. Comments can be made until Monday 20 February.
Water shortage? Would that have anything to do with the massive amount of continued building in the South East but without any additional water infrastructure?
Absolutely Charles. https://www.southernwater.co.uk/our-investment-areas
Southern water are expecting 50,000 new homes in Sussex by 2025. I suspect they have vastly underestimated this. And of course drier summers means more water for farms. Sewage treatment is also a concern as we seemingly cannot deal with what we have let alone 400,000 (my estimate) extra flushes a day
It’s ironic that this story breaks at the start of another really wet period – where the Met Office have issued yellow warnings of exceptional rain.
It has been tipping down all morning here in Hove, and tomorrow looks just as bad.
There is no shortage of rainfall in the UK, but we just need to catch it and store it – so that dryer periods are fed from the wetter periods.
In the meantime, our water companies are allowed to let run off drain water flow into the sea, sometimes with sewage content.
This article cosily talks about ‘customers and stakeholders’ but seems to be victim blaming. And there’s no doubt that we, the victims, will soon be told we have to pay more for our water because of their inaction.
Typical Southern Water; only interested in looking after their shareholders.
And blame water shortages on the private-householder as usual; they always seem to ignore the vast amount of water used and wasted by commercial and industrial users.
Must be the wrong kind of water that keeps falling from the sky.
Perhaps they’ve been learning from train operators.