Waterwise calls for radical action on water demand as Prime Minister Andy Burnham takes office
Waterwise, the UK’s leading authority on water efficiency, congratulates Andy Burnham on taking office as Prime Minister.
As the new administration enters power following prolonged dry weather, three heatwaves, and restrictions on use in many parts of the UK, we urge the Prime Minister to recognise that we cannot build a resilient water sector without a radical, government-led focus on water efficiency.
The UK faces a stark, projected shortfall of 6 billion litres per day (Mld), for public supplies and for energy, food, and industry, by 2055 due to climate change, population growth, and our unsustainable levels of use. Resolving this crisis demands an immediate, systemic reduction in water consumption and a water industry fit for the future led by a government focused on sustainable approaches to water management that ensure sufficient water is left in the natural environment to keep it healthy and continuing to supply the fresh water we need.
Our Immediate Policy Asks for the Burnham Administration
To secure the UK’s water future, protect our natural environment, our vital water supplies, and support sustainable economic growth, Waterwise calls on Andy Burnham’s government to fast-track the six critical policy actions that we set before the government in 2024:
- Enforce Mandatory Labelling: Fully implement the UK-wide mandatory water efficiency label on all water-using appliances to help consumers make informed, sustainable choices.
- Overhaul Building Regulations: Urgently tighten Part G of the Building Regulations to mandate highly ambitious water-saving, water-reuse, and rainwater-harvesting technologies in all new housing developments.
- Accelerate Smart Metering: Provide full government backing for the rapid roll-out of smart water meters across England, removing archaic regional restrictions on water charging.
- Integrate EPC Reforms: Update the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) framework to explicitly include water-saving measures, linking hot water efficiency directly to lower energy bills.
- Mandate Commercial Reporting: Require high-volume corporate and commercial water users to transparently audit and report on their water footprint and reduction strategies.
- Standardise Leak Detection: Introduce a statutory requirement for leak detection systems to be fitted across all new and retrofitted buildings.
“We welcome Andy Burnham’s commitment to effective public services and protecting consumers. However, whatever the structure of the water companies, we all need to be more water-efficient, at home and at work. This is urgent, and changing who owns our water companies will not automatically create more water.
True resilience means shifting our regulatory focus toward immediate demand reduction. Nothing happens without water, and we are running out. We stand ready to work with the new government to embed water efficiency at the very heart of the UK’s climate adaptation and economic strategy.” Nicci Russell, Chief Executive.
