Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/1186480
UTILITY WEEK | 22ND - 28TH NOVEMBER 2019 | 13 Policy & Regulation A step change is needed in consumer awareness "We must work together to reduce per capita water consumption to sustainable levels." View from the top Ben Earl, water efficiency manager, Southern Water A ccording to current projections, water demand will outstrip supply within the next 25 years, and all of society needs to work together to take bold action to help secure supplies and militate against the impacts of climate change. It is essential that we change people's perception of the value of water and one intervention above all else would help do this – a universal water label. We know the power of labelling. The mandatory energy label from the European Union has delivered a revolution in lowering energy usage on electrical appli- ances, which has helped to reduce bills for consumers and lower carbon emissions. A voluntary water label has been attempted, but due to consumer brands being reluctant to label their high-using products, has not been successful A key piece of research, funded by the water compa- nies, has found that introducing a mandatory label on all water-using products – such as taps, showers and white goods – could reduce household water use by up to 31 litres per person per day over 25 years. The label, which has a similar look to that of the energy label, would help consumers choose water-efficient products and drive innovation in the market, with manufacturers nudged to make their goods more efficient. The case is compelling because the study looked all around the world at various examples and used particu- larly that of Australia as a good case study. It, too, had a voluntary label that was failing and it was then made universal by force of legislation. The call for a similar shiƒ in the UK, particularly if Brexit happens, is receiving widespread support, including from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) and the Blueprint for Water. The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) warned that the cost of emergency drought options could be as much as £40 billion and found that one-third of the extra water we need can be secured through reduced demand. More immediately, parts of the UK have less fresh water available per person than parts of Morocco. Hotter summers followed by drier winters mean the chances of temporary restrictions are increasing – as we nearly experienced in Hampshire this year. Hampshire depends on two precious chalk streams, the Rivers Test and Itchen, that have been described as "England's rain forests" by the World Wildlife Fund. Drought in the area doesn't just mean inconvenient hosepipe bans for cus- tomers, but the threat of real damage to rare habitats. Water companies have a huge role to play, and aren't shying away from their responsibilities. The sector has committed to reducing leakage by 15 per cent over the next five years – with many compa- nies going further. Southern Water is committed to an industry-leading programme, Target 100. Designed to support, educate and incentivise our customers to reduce average personal use to 100 litres per person per day by 2040, this is a programme with massive ambition. It builds on our industry-first universal metering pro- gramme, which helped our customers reduce consump- tion by over 16 per cent and means they're consistently among the most water-efficient in the country. Metering has allowed us to provide more support for our customers through tailored water efficiency visits, where each customer receives bespoke behavioural advice and products for free – with each household sav- ing more than 30 litres per property per day as a result. This has an impact on customers' bills – not just water, but energy too. A report by the Green Alliance in 2015 found ambitious water efficiency could reduce house- hold bills by up to £80 a year with more than a quarter of water use linked to heating hot water. We want to see this link given much, much greater recognition. When the Future Homes Standard was announced in March 2019, the then chancellor said it would "future proof " new-build homes with "world- leading levels of energy efficiency" with no mention of water. This is despite the NIC's report warning of the costs of emergency measures being published the year before and the CCC looking at what future homes should look like where water efficiency was clearly signposted. Alongside labelling, the most effective action gov- ernment could take is to introduce tighter minimum standards for new homes. The current minimum outside of water-stressed areas of 125 litres per person per day is too high. The CCC predicts water shortages won't be confined to the South East, and therefore regional dif- ferences should be scrapped with all new homes built to much tighter standards. However, around 80 per cent of the homes that will be standing in 2050 have already been built. This is where interventions like labelling, increased meter- ing, linking water and energy efficiency, introducing incentives, and national communications campaigns are vital. Water companies and other stakeholders will play crucial roles in all of these but government leadership, ambition and – most importantly – action is needed. The time has come to unite developers, consumer groups, water companies and manufacturers to support a universal approach to water labelling across all water using products. This is an abridged version of an article available in full to Utility Week subscribers at: https://utilityweek. co.uk/step- change-consumer- awareness/