House of Commons - Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Sixteenth Report

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Addressing the causes of climate change

1. Some degree of climate change is inevitable. However, concerted global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could curb climate change and limit the consequent increased flood risk. It is imperative that the Government continues to put every effort into achieving global action to address the causes of climate change. (Paragraph 5)

2. We strongly support the world class climate research being conducted by the Met Office and many other organisations and individuals in the United Kingdom. It is clear that a great deal of further research is necessary and we urge the Government to support such work. We recommend that, in addition to scientific publications, the Government and climate change scientists publish regular reports that aim to further public understanding of climate change and its impacts. (Paragraph 9)

Water availability

3. There is a pressing need for wider public understanding of the way that climate change may affect water use. We recommend that water companies, Government and the Environment Agency take the lead in raising awareness about the value of water and the potential for water scarcity if it is not managed wisely. The current price review round offers a good opportunity to inform the public about these issues. (Paragraph 13)

4. The present system of charging people for water on the basis of the old rateable value of the property they live in is outdated. Over time, we must move towards more rational use of water: linking the cost to the amount used is an important step towards this goal. At the same time, it is important that everyone is able to afford enough water to meet their basic needs. The Government should produce a report evaluating alternative water pricing mechanisms that relate the costs of usage more directly to the consumer. A cost-benefit study of metering should form part of the report. At the same time, the Government should consider carefully the impact of such proposals in order to protect vulnerable people from water poverty. (Paragraph 20)

5. We recommend that, with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Defra develop specific proposals to develop and promote products and services that increase household water efficiency. In particular, we recommend that the Government examine ways, including the role of local authority powers, of facilitating the use of rainwater and grey water for non-potable purposes. (Paragraph 22)

6. Housing developments built now will be in place for up to 100 years: it would be foolish to plan them in the future without an eye to their future water security. Planning guidance to local authorities should require that water availability be taken into consideration. We recommend that building regulations require greater water efficiency and that the Government consider ways to encourage manufacturers of domestic water-using appliances to develop more water efficient designs. (Paragraph 23)

7. Water companies need to do more to reduce leakage. We are particularly disappointed with Thames Water's leakage record and would expect it to improve before the next price review. The first step all companies should take is to make best use of existing resources. (Paragraph 27)

8. Reservoirs should not be seen as an alternative to demand management measures. Nevertheless, it seems likely that some new capacity will be necessary. Water companies, the Environment Agency and environmental groups should engage in an open and frank discussion of the environmental and economic consequences of providing greater reservoir capacity. (Paragraph 31)

Flooding

9. We warmly welcome the Foresight report's approach to examining long term flood risk and congratulate those involved on their work. It is now up to the Government to take this work forward and ensure that it is well prepared for the increased flood risk that climate change is likely to bring about. We recommend that the Government publish a white paper that offers a candid assessment of the implications of the Foresight report for flood protection and planning. It should contain a clear statement of the Government's strategy for dealing with increased flood risk and of the resources needed to implement that strategy. Defra should ensure that the scenarios on which the Foresight report is based are updated periodically. (Paragraph 34)

10. The Foresight report on future flooding has alerted us to the possible magnitude of future flood risk. In its response to this Report, the Government should tell us how and when it will decide what further flood protection is needed. It should also tell us how it is preparing for the upgrading and eventual replacement of the Thames barrier. (Paragraph 37)

11. Planning policy guidance should take account of the likely future flood risk as well as present-day risk. The Environment Agency should now be a statutory consultee for flood risk assessments. Any new developments that are built in flood-prone areas should be designed to be as resilient to the effects of flooding as possible. (Paragraph 42)

12. Sewer flooding is particularly hazardous and distressing for those affected. The Government, water companies and the regulators should work together to ensure that the risk of sewer flooding is minimised, both for new and existing developments. For new developments, sewers should be designed to cope with the likely future volume of flow. For existing developments, water companies should upgrade existing sewers where possible and Ofwat should include the expense of doing so in the price limits it sets. The Government should encourage the use of sustainable drainage systems to reduce the pressure on sewers during periods of high rainfall. (Paragraph 43)

Insurance

13. We welcome the insurance industry's Statement of Principles on flood cover. However, we are concerned that some areas may become uninsurable should flood risk increase as the result of climate change. We recommend that the Government identify which areas will face the greatest problems in getting insurance. The Government should then explore alternative ways in which people in these areas can manage their flood risk. (Paragraph 46)

Water pricing

14. Ofwat, the Government, the environmental regulators and the water companies should together devise a way to plan adequately for long term expenditure, such as that required in the light of climate change. We are surprised that, with very few exceptions, Ofwat has not begun to allow companies to include the cost of managing the impacts of climate change in the current price review. (Paragraph 47)

15. Water customers should not necessarily have to meet the costs of mitigating the impact of climate change on water resources. For example, where a certain level of water flow is needed to protect freshwater ecosystems in an area, there is an argument for meeting the cost of doing so through central Government expenditure rather than through water bills. (Paragraph 48)

Government planning for climate change

16. Planning needs to start now, both for the way we want to approach development, flood defence and water resources in the light of climate change, and for the necessary expenditure. The Government must take further action now. In particular it must ensure that new housing planned now will still be fit for use in 50 years' time or more; this means taking account of the way climate change will affect water supplies and flooding. (Paragraph 49)

17. We welcome the work of the UK Climate Impacts Programme in helping organisations to assess how climate change might affect them and how they might adapt to it and we recommend that the Government consider how it could educate the public about the changes that are likely to occur and what steps individuals could take to prepare for them. (Paragraph 50)



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