Water

Despite our reputation as a rainy island, we have less available water than Italy or Greece.  Anglia is the driest region yet hundreds of thousands of new homes are planned for here.  It is anticipated that by 2020 as a result of this expansion we will be demanding an extra 800 million litres of water every day.  We cannot control the amount of avaiblabe water; it is weather dependent.  It is our responsibility therefore to use what we have wisely and fairly.

The average UK citizen uses around 150 litres of water a day, of which 1/3 is wasted.  Flushing the toilet is usually responsible for the greatest consumption of water in the home.  Outside in the garden, watering using unattended sprinklers can consume a vast quantity of water.

The proportion of water used for agriculture in the UK is lower than in the rest of Europe, whilst industrial use is correspondingly higher – domestic use accounts for 20% of all water use in the UK.

Using bottled water in the UK, which enjoys high quality tap water, is wasteful of oil and water resources.  3 litres of water are used to produce 1 litre of bottled water, and transport emissions are heavy because water is dense.  Some products are imported from countries where water is relatively scarce. 

Groundwater quality has deteriorated over the last 50 years as a result of pollution from industrial effluents, leaking sewers, landfill, and run-off from salted roads. Using manure, fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture also harms the quality of the water in underground water courses and rivers.