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Tougher targets on saving water
21.11.08
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Water companies must help customers save 40% more water from 2010 following a "lacklustre" performance by some suppliers, Ofwat has announced.
The regulator is demanding that companies help customers use water more wisely with target savings of at least 23 million litres a day, or an average of one litre per property each day.
Companies will have to give household and business customers better information on how to use water sensibly and promote devices like water-efficient toilets and showers.
Ofwat promised it would not allow companies to increase customer bills to meet the targets, which will be introduced on a trial basis from April 2009 and come into full effect in 2010.
The targets would see suppliers helping customers to save an estimated 40% more water compared with the past three years - enough to fill more than 3,300 Olympic swimming pools every year.
The reduction is expected to be on top of savings from targets on leakage from pipes and increasing water metering.
The Government's long-term ambition is to reduce individual water usage to 130 litres per person per day from its current level of around 150 litres.
Ofwat chief executive Regina Finn said: "Water is an increasingly valuable resource and we all have a responsibility to conserve it. Successes in Europe show that helping households to use water wisely can save significant amounts of water, reducing the need for expensive new sources.
"Some companies need to do more to help customers cut waste and use water efficiently. This is good customer service and helps customers on meters control their bills. Companies will be stretched by these targets but this is about customers getting a fair deal and using water sustainably."
England and Wales lags significantly behind many European countries including Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium in terms of the amount of water used by households.
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Reader views (3)
Here's a sample of the latest views published. You can click view all to read all views that readers have sent in.
Obviously we are having the wrong sort of rain!!
- John Harris, High Wycombe UK
I have been asking for a water meter for some years now as some of my neighbours have a meter, I wanted it because I wanted to become aware of how much water was used and become more "green" by saving water where possible. However the water company have said they cannot install a meter and there is nothing they or I can do about it. I wonder if its because myself and my partner are out all day not using as much water as large families with children, so they would lose money by installing a meter in my place.
- Phil, London
Thames Water leaked 915 million litres of water in the year to March 2005 and has subsequently failed to hit targets for reducing leaks. That's 100 litres of leak per day for each of its consumers. That dwarfs any saving consumers can make.
Don't penalize the consumers for using water, penalize water companies for wasting it.
- Sarah W, London
