Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/1119298
Databank www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | JUNE 2019 | 31 Ofwat has challenged water companies to reduce leakage by 15 per cent over the next ve years and the vast majority agreed to step up, with some proposing to go much further. Yorkshire Water leads the way with a 25 per cent reduc- tion goal for AMP7, followed by South Sta‚ s at 23 per cent, and in April the English water companies announced that they would work together to triple the rate of leakage reduc- tion across the sector by 2030 as part of the Public Interest Commitment. Environment Agency chief executive Sir James Bevan's warning about the 'jaws of death' may be helping to focus minds, but there is much work to be done. Per capita consump- tion has remained Œ at, but the amount of water lost to leakage increased for a second consecu- tive year in 2017/18 and only 44.4 per cent met their targets. Despite that, only eight of 20 companies saw their leakage- per-property gures rise from 2016/17, although South West Water (12.75 per cent) and Portsmouth Water (7.29 per cent) saw signi cant increases. Many of those operating in the most water-stressed areas, such as Anglian Water, Essex & Su‚ olk Water, SES Water and South East Water, were not only among those with the lowest levels of leakage per property but also oversaw decreases from the previous year. E‚ orts are being made across the industry. Thames Water – which has the highest leakage-per-property level – has signed contracts with suppliers worth £200 million to nd and x leaks and said the agreements will enable it to target savings of 430 million litres of water a day in 2019/20, which represents a 16 per cent increase on its original goal. LEAKAGE Thames Water leaks 182 litres per property served per day The industry average is leakage of 123 litres per property served per day Southern Water leaks 80 litres per property served per day 1.92% Total litres lost per day to leakage rose from 3,123 billion to 3,183 billion for companies in England and Wales in 2017/18 Source: Discover Water Biggest increase in leakage in 2017/18 Biggest reduction in leakage in 2017/18 Southern Water Thames Water leaks Water company leakage: litres per property served per day - 2017/18 - England and Wales Million litres of water leaked each day by English and Welsh water companies 2010-11 3,382 2012-13 3,094 2014-15 3,136 2011-12 3,093 2013-14 3,113 2016-17 3,123 2017-18 3,183 2015-16 3,087 Source: CC Water and Water UK Source: Discover Water Thames United Utilities Yorkshire Severn Trent Average South Staff s Welsh Water Affi nity South West Northumbrian Wessex Portsmouth Cambridge Bournemouth Bristol South East Hafren Dyfrdwy Anglian SES Water Essex & Suff olk Southern South West Water: 12.75% Anglian Water: 3.49% 182 137 130 123 123 122 121 115 115 113 110 103 100 92 87 87 86 83 83 82 80